The Non-Player I
I'll tell you in advance, don't expect a neat ending from today's story.
This time, it's undeniably a bad ending.
Let's talk about a disastrous game called reality.
The Infinite Void.
Since the extermination of the Outer God, much had changed in the world.
Later, I realized that each of the Outer Gods had their own domain.
You might call it a divine realm.
If the term "divine realm" is unfamiliar, you could call it a sanctuary. For the Infinite Void, the 'Tutorial Dungeon' was its representative divine realm and sanctuary. Among these, Baekhwa Girls' High School was its headquarters.
When one religion declines, others rush to fill the void.
Monsters declared Earth a battleground for religious wars to spread their doctrines instinctively.
During the holy crusades, humans were dying, but frankly, the monsters didn't care. On Earth, it was a long-standing tradition to not treat those with different beliefs as civilians.
The important thing was that the moment the Infinite Void was defeated, the delicate balance of power that had been maintained like a house of cards collapsed instantly.
From the defeat of the Infinite Void, the suppressed monsters started to run rampant.
"Where am I...?"
"I'm not Kim Jun-young from Anyang! I'm Moon-cheong Namgung, the first disciple of the Namgung family!"
"Please, take me back to that world again... Wait, why are there tears?"
A prime example was the 'Hero Syndrome.'
As I mentioned earlier, I first witnessed Hero Syndrome in the 118th cycle. And the extermination of the Infinite Void occurred in the 117th cycle.
I'm not trying to test your memory. Thanks to my [Complete Memory], I can recall it in detail.
What I want to tell you is—don't you find the timing quite ironic?
Doesn't it seem like they were waiting for the Infinite Void to be defeated?
Let's revisit this. During this period, the monsters that newly increased their gacha pick-up rates on the Korean Peninsula weren't just the Hero Syndrome.
-Baaang!
-Bang! Baaang! Bang!
-Baaang! Bang!
The 'Isekai Truck,' the nemesis of all writers and readers, first appeared in the 119th cycle.
Looking broader, there were many other monsters. In the 126th cycle, there was the 'Savior Syndrome.' In the 141st cycle, the fictional structure 'Korea-Japan Undersea Tunnel' appeared.
Hero Syndrome, Isekai Truck, Savior Syndrome, imaginary buildings... Don't you feel a certain pattern?
Indeed. All of these were hints and signs of a massive trend.
Every oven-cooked dish needs preheating.
Today, before I submit the answer to that question, I want to talk about one of the most absurd yet impressive signs.
A virtual reality MMORPG.
The so-called 'online game' would be the protagonist of this story.
Occasionally, there were persistent posts on SG Net, a recurring topic that was periodically mentioned.
-Anonymous: Status window! Status window! Status window!
-Anonymous: I shouted 'open status' as soon as I woke up today. Did it appear? (Day 31)
-Anonymous: Am I the only one who can see the status window??
-Anonymous: When I shout 'open status,' it actually appears, lol
-LiteraryGirl: Honestly, if you've secretly shouted 'open status' in this messed-up world, thumbs up, lol
It was the status window topic.
Of course, as a mature adult, I had never muttered 'status window' to myself.
Did I shout it in the 1st or 2nd cycle? My memory starts from the 5th cycle, so anything before that is ancient history.
There's no irrationality in blaming a modern country for a crime that happened in ancient times. Does Greece get treated as a war criminal by Turkey because of the Trojan War?
Anyway, there was no such thing as a status screen with 'ability scores' and 'skill descriptions' in this world.
Awakeners had to figure out their abilities through countless trials and errors.
For example, without SG Net, Sim Ahyeon didn't realize that her healing ability was [Grudge Orb]. In other words, she didn't know that the more attention she attracted, the stronger her healing became.
This is why awakeners with 'simple abilities' had an advantage early in the cycles.
Abilities like Lee Baek's [Lion's Roar], which simply made his voice louder, were easy to recognize.
A world endlessly unfriendly to awakeners.
And this unfriendliness was precisely the secret to my overwhelming popularity and trust among awakeners.
"Seo Gyu, your ability is [Ubiquitous]. With a smartphone, you can create an internet community that anyone can access. The more users there are, the more your ability develops, and you can add various systems to the forum."
"Huh?"
"Ah-yeon, your ability is [Grudge Orb]. If Seo Gyu creates SG Net, you'll be one of the original members and the most famous villain, growing stronger by absorbing all the animosity from people."
"Heh?"
Monopoly on information.
The identity, strengths, and weaknesses of abilities that even the awakeners themselves didn't know, as well as how to develop their abilities further.
I held all this information in my hands, releasing it to whomever, whenever, and as much as I wanted.
I didn't even have to act directly.
[The Saintess of National Salvation bestows an ability upon you.]
With a slight 'distortion,' I could make it seem like their abilities were awakened and developed by the constellations.
[The Saintess of National Salvation grants you the 'Low-level Healing' ability.]
[The Conqueror of the Alps grants you the 'Hammer Proficiency' ability.]
[The Chancellor of the Red Cape grants you the ability to 'Adjust Pain Perception to the Point Where Stubbing Your Little Toe Doesn't Hurt.']
The constellation talk functioned flawlessly.
For the awakeners, the abilities they didn't know about seemed to be given miraculously by the constellations.
[The Chancellor of the Red Cape hints that if you stub your toe on a desk or doorframe 999 times, your 'Pain Perception Adjustment' ability will improve.]
Sometimes I did it myself. Sometimes the Saintess disguised as a constellation.
The regressor schemed back and forth.
Those who awakened (or discovered) their abilities through me followed me personally, while those who believed the constellations gave them their abilities worshiped the constellations. Either way, they were in my palm.
By releasing information that the awakeners might have discovered themselves 2, 6, or 10 years later, we gained absolute support.
This was one reason why the guilds on the Korean Peninsula were quieter than in other places. Military and civilians were one; they were all like disciples who owed me. Even Dang Seo-rin quickly mastered 'Equivalent Exchange' magic thanks to me.
Therefore,
-Anonymous: I shouted 'open status' as soon as I woke up today. Did it appear? (Day 191)
-Anonymous: It appeared, so I'm posting, lol (Day 191)
A sudden post in the 133rd cycle threatened not only my position but also the security of the Korean Peninsula.
At first, I dismissed it as a joke post and ignored it.
But about 30 minutes later, it became clear that I had been too complacent.
[Mr. Undertaker. This is a serious matter.]
"Yes? What is it?"
[Status windows are appearing before the eyes of awakeners across the Korean Peninsula.]
"What?"
I immediately accessed SG Net.
-Anonymous: What the hell? A status screen actually appears before my eyes like a hologram?
-LiteraryGirl: Evaluate your own status.
-Anonymous: Are these guys collectively trolling now? Has SG Net gone mad? Ban this boring topic.
-Anonymous: Did S-class power appear??
-Anonymous: Guys, my status window shows an A-class charm. Is this good?
The community was in an uproar.
"What is this...?"
"Guild leaderrrrr!"
Crash! Someone barged into my room.
There were two notable points about this recent event.
First, the person had opened my private room's door without any prior notice, showing they had no concept of courtesy.
Second, the fact that they didn't 'walk' or 'run' in but 'rolled in' indicated that the person possibly lacked even the ability to walk on two legs.
Mentally and physically, this creature was unfit to be recognized as Homo sapiens. This unidentified cryptid's name was Sim Ahyeon.
"Guild leaderrrrr! It appeared! It appeared!"
"..."
"An S-S-S-class appeared...!"
I didn't need to ask Sim Ahyeon 'What?' or 'What appeared?' after reading the dialogue.
And I didn't need to ask what 'S-S-S-class' meant either.
But to a cryptid, human conversation didn't work. The creature before me opened a sketchbook and scribbled furiously with a marker.
"L-Look at this!"
I didn't want to see it.
But the trained senses of a regressor gave me many advantages and one disadvantage.
The disadvantage was that even a quick glance at Sim Ah-ryeon's sketchbook revealed all the characters and content.
――――――――――
[Status]
Name: Sim Ah-ryeon
Title: 'Bird That Drinks Poison'
Occupation: Healer, Pharmacist, Artist, Saintess (Potential), Novelist (Potential)
[Stamina: E-class] [Strength: E-class] [Intuition: S-class] [Agility: E-class] [Intelligence: B-class] [Charm: F-class]
Personality Traits: [Loyal] [Social Anxiety] [Careless] [Arrogant]
Unique Skill: [Bird That Drinks Poison (SSS)]
*Bird That Drinks Poison (SSS): Converts the overflowing poison in this world into medicine.
The more resentment and curses you receive from others, the stronger your healing abilities become. The greater the resentment and deeper the curses, the stronger the healing.
Transforming evil into good. Turning resentment into opportunity. You were born with the fate of being the savior, the Saintess of this land.
May fortune be with you.
――――――――――
"D-Did you see? Guild leader, I'm an S-S-S-class...!"
"..."
"Bird That Drinks Poison... Hehe, Bird That Drinks Poison... And also the savior, the Saintess...!"
It was only then that I realized 'S-S-S-class' was Sim Ah-ryeon's way of saying 'SSS-class.'
Why she pronounced 'SSS-class' that way, I had no choice but to acknowledge my ignorance.
But my ignorance did not end there.
I only got into web novels and genre fiction in general from the 555th cycle. Therefore, I couldn't be angry or denounce the sight of this cryptid proclaiming itself as Bird That Drinks Poison, the mockery of this world, the disgrace of this universe.
I simply remained silent. As Wittgenstein said, we must remain silent about what we do not know.
"G-Guild leader, you should try shouting it out too."
"What?"
"Status window. If you shout 'Status-Open,' it will appear... You can also just think it, but the first time, you must say it. Oh! When you say it, you must firmly hold the intention and desire to see your own stats...!"
Then what about the mute? This status window thing, which was obviously an anomaly because only an anomaly would pull off such nonsense, did this anomaly discriminate against people with speech disabilities?
"C-Come on, guild leader! Quickly!"
"...Ah-ryeon, it's not advisable to rashly expose oneself to such an anomaly."
"Hmm?"
"You've been in our guild long enough to know a lot about anomalies. Like how a red light means you shouldn't cross the street, calling out your name might be the condition for triggering this status window anomaly. You shouldn't call it out recklessly."
"...Oh."
Sim Ah-ryeon then showed a look of understanding.
"G-Guild leader... Are you afraid your stats might be worse than mine, so you don't want to call it?"
"..."
"S-Sorry. As you know, I often lack consideration... Hehe. I won't boast about my stats in front of you anymore."
Sim Ah-ryeon left the room, mumbling about showing off to Seo Gyu.
More precisely, she left the room and then peeked her head back in.
"Ah, by the way...! Even if you don't have an S-S-S-class ability, or if you're an S-class or A-class, I will never look down on you, guild leader...!"
"..."
"Isn't it wrong to look down on someone based on their abilities? Right? Hehe. So... G-Good luck, guild leader...!"
Bang.
The cryptid left, closing the door behind her.
The room was quiet.
Silence filled the air.
"Saintess."
[Yes.]
"Gather all the information on this anomaly as soon as possible. Quickly."
[...Understood.]
Despite the hesitation in the Saintess's tone, I had no doubt in my mind. In retrospect, this was a significant historical event, akin to a reform in genre fiction.
I had declared war against the 'Status Window.'
-x-X-x-
The Non-Player II
Since we're already on the topic, the author of the novel "Bird Drinking Poison" (who really wrote it in the 766th cycle) said the following:
-The settings of a novel are like the roots of a tree; they need to be vast and solid, but if exposed, the tree will wither and die.
This applies not only to the settings of a world but to all situations.
The protagonist is not omnipotent. There should always be a hazy margin, like a 'white mist,' lingering at the edge of his vision.
The white wasteland left by the protagonist's ignorance is the fertile ground that continuously enriches the prose and descriptions.
Of course, the characters... information about the characters should always be somewhat shrouded in mist. How can one instantly know the intelligence of this person or what their skills are?
Therefore, the status window is harmful.
To use an analogy, the status window is like recklessly eliminating the minerals from the earth and the nitrogen from the air.
I'm not saying this because I'm pissed off at Sim Ah-ryeon, but because I have a very logical and just reason.
Even if I took an interest in subcultures from the 555th cycle and we're now in the 133rd cycle, meaning I actually didn't have any knowledge of status windows, and the things I'm saying now are historical distortions by later generations, there's no need to listen to those counterarguments at all.
This is not a contradiction but rather proof that the 133rd-cycle me had prophetic intuition. Even in my subculture-ignorant days, I instinctively felt that the status window was a harmful existence.
"Relying on something like a status window makes people weak."
I immediately took action.
Not only did I wage a public opinion battle on SG Net, but I also emphasized the harmfulness of the status window to every awakener I met.
"Excuse me? Hyung?"
"In my time, we fought with anomalys to gauge our strength and slowly estimated our capabilities. That process of exploration, the experience of testing oneself while crossing the line between life and death, is an irreplaceable treasure. But these days, people boast about their strength being a B grade, saying they can easily handle slimes."
"Uh..."
"What an ignorant statement! Slimes cannot be defeated by strength alone, and the danger varies drastically depending on whether you face them in a swamp or a narrow labyrinth where they might drop from the ceiling unexpectedly. The void is a space that cannot be quantified, which is why it's void."
"..."
"How can you trust only the alphabets displayed on the status window to measure your skills, your opponent's abilities, or even the depth of the void? The status window itself is a anomaly, contaminating the consciousness of the awakened and lowering the standard of humanity. It's nothing but an 'idiot box'! Why can't you see through the wicked scheme of the anomaly that's trying to destroy the awakened, one by one, by making them rely on the convenience of the status window?"
"Uh..."
Seo Gyu raised his hand.
"May I ask you one thing, hyung?"
"What is it?"
"Why do you talk like that?"
"It's a draft of an article to awaken the consciousness of the awakened. How about posting it on SG Net? Seo Gyu, doesn't it make your chest swell and make you feel the duty of an awakener anew?"
"Uh, well..."
"Surely, you're not advocating for the status window, are you? I've been educating you one-on-one since the waiting room at Busan Station, so I trust you haven't entrusted your judgment to such a filthy anomaly."
Seo Gyu's expression became subtle.
According to physiognomy, it could be interpreted as 'What's up with this brother again?'
Next to him, Sim Ah-ryeon (who was still there) whispered to Seo Gyu.
"He, he must not have had the 『Status Window』. Gacha disaster..."
"Oh, so that's why he's like that."
"Yeah, yeah... Oh! Suddenly, I feel an overwhelming aura of aggro from somewhere? Ah! Even though I didn't do anything, aggro is piling up in my heart! I can feel my abilities strengthening in real-time! It's delicious! So delicious! It's a delicacy I've never tasted in my life... Who, who could hold such resentment towards me...!"
"You two won't have coffee for the next six months."
Seo Gyu and Sim Ah-ryeon screamed in horror, but I gracefully ignored them. These guys needed to realize the preciousness of discomfort more deeply.
-ZERO_SUGAR: [Long Post] An article about the ghost 'Status Window' currently appearing in Korea ~Awakeners of all nations, awaken!~
I sounded the alarm with a heart full of blood. However, the awakened, already steeped in the false convenience of the anomaly, did not respond at all.
Instead, they laughed.
-Anonymous: ? What's this?
-Anonymous: Is this a joke?
-Anonymous: Wow, this is legendary lol
-[Baekhwa]TenthGrader:( >_<);;;;;
-Anonymous: I saw this in elementary school! It's like the old story of nobles smashing the underground shelters that commoners found convenient, saying, 'How dare you try to avoid the winter wind?'
└[國道] Officer: It's an anecdote from the Goryeo period about the literary figure Yi Gyu-bo. The original text says, '夏熱冬寒, 四時之常數也. 苟反是則爲恠異'. Meaning, 'Hot in summer and cold in winter is the constant of the four seasons. If it's the opposite, it's strange'. Coincidentally, the original text also uses the word anomaly (恠異).
└Anonymous: How are you so smart?
└LiteraryGirl: Oh.
-dolLHoUse: Oppa...
-OldManGoryeo: lol
-OldManGoryeo: lol
-OldManGoryeo: lololololol
-OldManGoryeo: This guy's strength and intelligence skill levels were F on the status window. I saw it lol
└Anonymous: Oh!
└Anonymous: We didn't even know ㅠㅠㅠ
"..."
There was no public opinion in my favor anywhere on SG Net.
Is this the pain of a pioneer with clear eyes in a city of the blind?
...No, strictly speaking, there was exactly one piece of support.
-[Yuldoguk]SwordMarquess: Ah, what this lad says is indeed correct! When something is visible only to oneself, it is an illusion, and from ancient times, being captivated by illusions has been diagnosed as a sign of madness. The fact that all the martial artists are collectively captivated by an illusion is nothing but a mass insanity. Alas! Unavoidable madness is a tragedy, but what can be said about willingly going mad?
└Anonymous: Here comes the boomer duo.
└Anonymous: Romance of the Three Kingdoms boomer vs. martial arts boomer... My chest swells...
It was a defense that was worse than no defense at all.
There were some mean people on SG Net who often grouped me and the Sword Marquess together, and his defensive shooting only added fuel to this prejudice.
"...Fine."
I admitted frankly.
"Anomaly, you win."
This wasn't a monologue. Since the 'Status Window' was certainly a psychotic-type anomaly, it was everywhere and nowhere.
"But don't think your victory is confirmed here. Next time, and the time after that, I will appear again and eventually overthrow you."
[....]
"Saintess. Even if you don't say anything, I can hear your breathing when you're watching."
[Ah. Yes. I will be careful.]
Thus, we moved to a slightly higher stage.
To put it plainly, we moved on to the 134th cycle.
"Eek? W-Why is so much aggro generating on its own when I didn't do anything...? It's delicious, but. Scary! Guild leader! Someone I don't know is hating me for unknown reasons! In real-time! Every day! P-Please help me!"
"..."
For some reason, the 134th cycle Sim Ah-ryeon had awakened her skills to an unprecedented level.
Of course, such minor happenings were not very important.
I earnestly warned the Saintess.
"Saintess, starting three days from now, an anomaly called the status window will begin to appear nationwide."
"Ah. Yes."
"I explained what kind of anomaly the status window was last time, so you remember, right?"
"Yes, very much so. You passionately talked for three hours in front of Noh Do-hwa and me."
"Good. Now, seize the moment and hijack the status window."
The Saintess blinked.
"...What?"
"Pretend that giving out status windows is part of the constellation authority. Then, every time someone uses the status window, their gratitude and all their emotions will be directed towards the constellations. People will sing the greatness of the constellations, and they'll never know it was actually an anomaly."
"...I'm sorry. If I understand your proposal correctly, you're suggesting we steal the anomaly's achievement and make it ours?"
"That's a bit harsh, but yes. That's correct."
"Oh..."
The Saintess sighed.
She must have been impressed by the greatest anomaly hunter, me, Undertaker's strategy, which even mocked the gods.
Next to her, Noh Do-hwa, who had been quietly listening, put down her coffee cup.
"Amazing. Now, you're not just stealing people's achievements but also those of anomalys now. Didn't you rant about how dependence on the Status Window leads to laziness? Why are you now suggesting a hijack? Is this the caliber of a regressor..."
"Thank you."
"That's not a compliment, idiot..."
My plan was perfect.
I remembered the exact moment when the first post confirming the status window appeared on SG Net, thanks to my [Complete Memory] ability.
This operation couldn't afford any failure, so I even moved to Yongsan and conducted the operation from the Saintess's house. The Saintess and I sat side by side in gaming chairs, staring at the monitor.
"Standby."
"..."
"Standby, standby. 3 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second―― now! Saintess! Now!"
The Saintess clasped her hands together.
[The Saintess of National Salvation bestows upon you a new power.]
[From now on, you can check your abilities by murmuring 'Status Window' or 'Status Open'.]
At that moment.
-Anonymous: I woke up today and immediately said "Status Open". Did the "Status Window" appear? (Day 191)
-Anonymous: It appeared, so I posted it lol (Day 191)
With impeccable timing, a confirmation post appeared on SG Net.
Not just the first witness, but awakened across the entire Korean Peninsula received the constellation message simultaneously. SG Net was filled with posts like "What's this?" "Did you all get the constellation message just now?" followed by "It's really there?" "Why is this real?" with confirmation posts flooding in.
I clenched my fist in triumph.
"It's a success! Saintess! We did it! You did a fantastic job!"
"...Yes."
For that single moment of timing, the Saintess paused time and sent messages to all the awakened in Korea.
How could I not be thrilled? Seeing a delivery man sneakily eating all the food from a lunchbox wouldn't be as shocking.
-Anonymous: The Saintess of National Salvation << GOAT among constellations, give her a thumbs-up lol
-Anonymous: Really, this one is just correct lol
└Anonymous: Bastard?
└Anonymous: Show some respect and call her madam.
-LiteraryGirl: She tells us what skills we have, how to develop them, and now even gives us a Status Window. How much more can you give us, oh my GOAT...
Naturally, all the faith originally intended for the anomaly now gathered towards the constellations, specifically towards the Saintess.
The anomaly did the work, but humanity reaped the rewards. This is the supreme path of a regressor.
"How's that? Checkmate."
"..."
The status window anomaly was neutralized.
What I didn't anticipate was that the "Status Window" was merely an aftershock of the void created by the elimination of the anomaly, Infinite VOID.
Just like aftershocks follow an earthquake, the ripples of the void occur multiple times.
Boom!
Barely a few days after celebrating my victory over the status window, Sim Ah-ryeon burst through my door.
"G-Guild leader!"
"...Ah-ryeon. I've told you repeatedly not to obsess over trivial things like status class..."
"It's S-class. Please get it right."
"Oh."
"Anyway! That's not the point right now―― I mean, it's important, but! There's a big problem! Come out quickly!"
Sim Ah-ryeon tugged at my sleeve.
For a moment, the thought "She's pulling with E-ranked strength, no wonder my body isn't moving" shot through my mind and tickled the corner of my mouth, but I held back.
I hadn't fallen that far yet.
Anyway, when we got outside to the vacant lot (we hadn't yet considered using an underwater tunnel as our hideout), there was a half-dead slime slithering around.
"Aah! It's already escaping! Hey! Hey! Stop! How dare a slime...!"
Probably, Sim Ah-ryeon was the one who had beaten it, as the slime was clearly wary of us and wriggled around.
Sim Ah-ryeon picked up a stick.
"L-Look! Guild Leader! Look closely...!"
I wondered what she meant by "look closely."
As I pondered the increasing complexity of cryptid language, Sim Ah-ryeon swung the stick.
And I widened my eyes.
"...Huh?"
"D-Did you see that? Hehe. You saw it, right?"
What surprised me wasn't that Sim Ah-ryeon's stick swing contained profound techniques, nor that the slime showed some unprecedented chemical reaction.
More accurately, it was something witnessed in the 'void' above the slime's body, where there should have been blank space.
[DAMAGE!]
[91!]
It was displayed.
Above the slime's body, in English, the word 'DAMAGE' and the numerical value of the damage.
Bold, exaggerated red letters floated briefly... and then disappeared.
What happened next was even more astonishing.
Beep-boop ♪
A ridiculous sound effect played once. Sim Ah-ryeon twitched her fingers as if manipulating an invisible status window.
"I gained experience points and leveled up..."
"Experience points? Level?"
"Yes. I hit slimes daily for stress relief, and suddenly, damage numbers started popping up. The status window now shows experience points and levels..."
"..."
"I'm level 13! Oh. I just leveled up to 14... What's your level, guild leader? Hehe. What if it's 99?"
Sim Ah-ryeon's eyes sparkled, but I remained silent.
Somewhere, I could hear the anomaly's mocking voice.
-Checkmate? No, it's a counter-move.
-Where are you looking? That was my afterimage.
The status window was just the tip of the iceberg.
Experience points. Level-up system.
The true nature of this anomaly, freely manipulating all these elements, was none other than an RPG... a 'Role-Playing Game'.
-x-X-x-
The Non-Player III
This world was polluted.
It didn't mean that the physical space was contaminated. The mental world, the brains of the awakeners, were completely stained with disgrace.
-Anonymous: (Recommendation) ☆☆☆Level 5~Level 10☆☆☆ Experience farming goldmine hunting ground dungeon list. Newbies must read!!
-Anonymous: Today, I got up at dawn and gained 10,000 experience points. Brought back items, settled accounts, and now I'm downing beers. Worth it?
-OldManGoryeo: Today's cafe mocha.png
-Anonymous: Looking for a level 10 party!! No NPC porters, sorry ㅠㅠ
-[Samcheon] WitchJudge: Guys, I found a Black Orb of Messiah (S) while hunting monsters today. Is this any good?
Look at this rotten mental world.
Not long after the advent of the 'Online RPG,' SG Net had devolved into this state.
As expected of Koreans, who had always prided themselves as a nation of gamers since the end of the century, they adapted incredibly fast. Just like you'd see in subcultures.
'What? The world... turned into a game?'
'This can't be real...'
'That cheater. How does he understand the game's mechanics that we don't?'
Those clichés were completely skipped. Even elementary school kids accepted the new reality with the seasoned, veteran-like expressions of 'What? We've become game players? It's about time.'
Soon, SG Net was flooded with strategy guides. There was no need for me to tirelessly publish guides under the guise of the 'Great Library Society.' Everyone independently, enthusiastically, and diligently strategized against the anomalies.
This was definitely strange.
"Why such a long face...? Hmm. Isn't it better now than when everyone trembled at the sight of anomalies? Nowadays, they voluntarily jump into the void to level up."
"That's because they're exploring the void with a game-like mentality. They should understand the world through their intuition and accumulated experiences, but they're only looking at a refracted world through the lens provided by those anomalies."
"Hmm..."
"This 'online game' is a void in itself. The awakeners, who call themselves players, are virtually turning into void anomalies!"
"Well, there's some sense in that... But if it looks like you're just angry because anomalies are stealing your monopoly on fame and achievements, then it might be my mistake...?"
There was no need to respect the opinion of someone with a toxic perspective.
I had traveled to Japan, China, and even as far as Mongolia and India. And everywhere, I confirmed that the 'Online RPG' had infected them all.
'...This is no ordinary matter.'
It wasn't just people's perceptions that had changed.
Even the anomalies were gradually changing.
"Hehehe. Lately, there have been so many slimes along the riverbank, it's so easy to catch them...!"
For instance, the slime that Sim Ah-ryeon caught every day to relieve stress and beat to a pulp with a club.
Originally, this slime wasn't a common anomaly. It appeared only occasionally in sewers and rarely ventured outside.
Unless one descended into the underground, the chances of encountering a slime in daily life were almost nonexistent.
But the number of slimes was rapidly increasing. Now, they were bouncing around even on ordinary riverbanks.
Bling♪
Bling-bling♪
As a result, the sound of Sim Ah-ryeon beating slimes constantly echoed in front of our guild's headquarters.
Because of this noise pollution, I seriously considered relocating the guild hideout.
In addition, moving from the nonsensical S, SSS, EX grading system to a very precise, scientifically proven 'Depth' standard was also part of this resolution.
"Power-leveling... Indeed, I can feel my Dark Phoenix skill leveling up rapidly by just beating slimes in the yard! It's like discovering a hidden spot in the basement leading to a secret elixir mine, where only the protagonist can reap the benefits...!"
Sim Ah-ryeon's healing abilities were gradually reaching the level where she could heal even if the patient's limbs were torn apart, as long as the head was intact.
More awakeners on SG Net began to call Sim Ah-ryeon the 'Angel.'
This was definitely strange.
However, the rapidly increasing anomalies in this rotten world weren't limited to slimes.
Goblins, Orcs, Ogres, Trolls. In other words, the usual monsters from games increasingly filled the void.
There was only one way to explain this phenomenon.
'The online game is encroaching on both the awakeners and the anomalies...?'
A chill ran down my spine.
An anomaly that didn't discriminate between humans and anomalies, didn't remain in one place, wasn't confined by space and time, and just endlessly expanded its domain.
An Outer God.
Indeed, just as Infinite Void had been vanquished, another unidentified outer god was extending its claws.
Disguised under the mask of a game, which was hard for humans to resist.
-Anonymous: (Proof shot) Set a new damage record while hitting an Orc, lol
-Anonymous: This game is insanely fun.
-Anonymous: Looking for a level 20 party!! Already secured one NPC porter!!
-Anonymous: Anyone up for a Troll eyeball exchange in front of Gimhae Dungeon?
SG Net was becoming indistinguishable from a 'game forum.'
Gradually, the term 'monster' became more common than anomaly, and non-awakeners individuals were called NPCs.
Defeating monsters dropped 'items.' Slime cores, Goblin teeth, Orc hearts, etc. These materials had specific effects, which could be viewed through the 'item window.'
Everything was a game.
...I shared my suspicions with a member of the Regression Alliance. Noh Do-hwa and the Saintess's expressions finally turned serious.
"Chief Noh Do-hwa. Please officially declare the 'Online Game' as an anomaly under your authority. We need to alert people now."
"Understood. Though I'm not sure how effective it will be now. Everyone's showing signs of game addiction..."
Game addiction.
That was another symptom displayed by the awakeners infected by this outer god. It was different from the game addiction previously discussed by the media before the end of the century.
Now, the awakeners believed that 'a world in the form of a game' was far more real and desirable. SG Net was posting new threads every three seconds.
"Saintess, please continue to act as the 'operator of the online game,' so people won't suspect anything. We may not be able to immediately subdue that anomaly, but we can at least curb the faith spreading to it."
"...Yes. I understand."
With these precautions, I managed to hold out until the 134th cycle.
However, inwardly, I had already prepared for the next run. As I hijacked the 'status window,' phenomena like 'experience points,' 'levels,' and 'damage' were added.
What kind of anomaly would await next?
Already, the awakeners, not just in Korea, but worldwide, were heavily addicted to the 'Online Game.' The stats and levels it provided were tangible, and the void, once filled with fear, had suddenly transformed into a hunting ground brimming with experience points.
Humanity was pushing back the void more effectively than ever. They kept winning, by becoming followers of the anomaly themselves.
Suddenly, a monologue from the protagonist in [The Catcher in the Rye] came to mind.
...You like games, huh? Sure. If you get into a team full of great guys, life is indeed a game. I'll admit that. But if you end up on the opposite team, where there are no great guys at all, then what kind of goddamn game is that? It's nothing. It's not a game at all...
As long as the awakeners seemed to be winning on the surface, the 'Online Game' was indeed a game.
But how long would that victory last?
Despite the warnings from the National Road Management Chief, the awakeners didn't stop playing the online game. They were thoroughly engrossed in leveling up.
And one day.
Just as there are always precursors before a major earthquake, a message arrived.
[The Admin of the Infinite Metagame announces a new event.]
Flashback.
"Ah. Come to think of it, why did you suddenly mimic a strange constellation a few days ago?"
"Huh?"
"A week ago. You sent a message under the name of the Admin of the Infinite Metagame. I was surprised that even you make mistakes sometimes. Did you send a message meant for another awakeners to me by mistake?"
"...?"
Anyone with a good memory would recall.
This was the anecdote I mentioned when I first met the Saintess.
"I never sent such a message."
"What?"
"I've never created a constellation named the Admin of the Infinite Metagame. Did you misread something?"
"..."
The story of a 'mysterious constellation' sending a message that the Saintess never created.
I simply shared episodes as they came to mind, not strictly bound by time, but if we arranged the flow in order of regression:
117th run. Defeated the outer god 'Infinite Void.'
118th run. First encountered the 'Hero Syndrome.'
119th run. First witnessed the 'Isekai Truck.'
126th run. Defeated the 'Savior Narrative Syndrome.'
133rd run. First witnessed the 'Status Window.'
134th run. First encountered the suspected outer god 'Online Game.'
And the message from the mysterious constellation—or rather, a being whose identity as a constellation was even questionable—also came in the 134th run.
My instinct, sharpened over many regressions, trembled like the needle of a seismograph.
My intuition wasn't wrong. The 134th cycle was merely the foreshock.
The next run. In the 135th cycle, the real earthquake began.
-Anonymous: These guys really play games all day long, lol. Turn off the game and go outside, lol.
The 135th run was fundamentally similar to the 134th.
Except, at some point, strange posts started to appear.
-Anonymous: To us, the game is reality? To us, the game is reality? To us, the game is reality?
└Anonymous: For real, lol.
└Anonymous: I've been playing 'reality' for 50,783 hours straight, lol.
└Anonymous: You should log off.
-Anonymous: This guy posts nonsense at night and now, too...
└Anonymous: What?
It seemed like nothing more than the usual bickering on a normal community forum.
But in truth, every void disguises itself as something mundane. A school. A tunnel. The sea.
Eventually.
-Anonymous: Shit, playing games too long made my whole body stiff. I'm logging off first.
The void descended abruptly.
-Anonymous: Sorry, guys. Too sleepy to stay logged in; logging off first.
-Anonymous: I'm logging out to live my real life~
-Anonymous: Looking for a level 30 party!! Already secured three NPC porters!!
-Anonymous: Ugh, this game is so boring. I'm quitting this trash game, bye.
SG Net members started posting about logging off or quitting the game.
But as everyone knew, the 'Online Game' was an overlay on reality.
How could they 'log out' or quit this game?
[Mr. Undertaker.]
The answer was delivered to me immediately, even if I didn't want to know it.
[The awakeners are not moving.]
"...Are you saying they're dead?"
[Yes. Almost. But, it's strange. Some awakeners fall into a coma-like state, then after a while, resume activity as if nothing happened.]
"..."
[It's like they've logged into a game.]
It was similar to zombies.
Active at night but stopping in the sunlight, the awakeners showed no signs of movement during the 'logout' period.
[The awakeners in a coma-like state show nothing even through my Clairvoyance. Darkness. Only pitch-black darkness painted over.]
An awakener in logout state couldn't be harmed, even if I attacked. My blade passed through as if they didn't exist in this world.
Even Sim Ah-ryeon, who enjoyed the 'Online Game' the most in our guild, couldn't escape this phenomenon.
"—Ah, guild leader!"
Sim Ah-ryeon ran up to me with bright eyes.
...It was hard to believe she had stood still for the past three days without moving a muscle.
"Were you waiting for me?"
"...Yes."
"Wow! Thank you! Hehe. Even if they're NPCs, their reactions change when the affection level goes up!"
"..."
"I wanted to come back sooner, but real life held me back... But it's all sorted now!"
Among the addicts, NPC originally referred to non-awakener individuals who hadn't gained skills.
But now it was different.
Over time, ordinary people gained minor abilities. They didn't hesitate to log into the game and upgrade to players.
Now, NPC referred to those like Noh Do-hwa and me, who didn't log into the game at all.
Ironically, the ones who could exist entirely within the 'game world' for 24 hours were called NPCs by the addicts.
To the addicts, Noh Do-hwa building roads across the Korean Peninsula was a 'quest' in the truest sense.
I was also considered a 'hidden NPC,' tasked with informing players about various jobs, skills, and training methods.
Which side was truly the NPC?
From my perspective, those who were devoured by the anomaly and became part of the void were the NPCs. But they perceived me as the NPC.
I thought.
If this was an example of the butterfly dream, it would be a profoundly nightmarish butterfly's dream.
-x-X-x-
The Non-Player IV
Let's talk about something different for a moment.
Although the phenomenon of humans being tainted by the presence of anomalies is often expressed as 'having faith,' there is actually a much better term.
Bewitched.
Enchanted. Captivated.
If you look at the Hanja character for "Bewitched (魅)," it includes a ghost (鬼) inside. A mysterious attraction. An impulse. From this, the ancients sensed a ghost, that is, an anomaly.
They also warned countless times.
Each anomaly is different. Naturally, the words that describe the attraction of anomalies are innumerable.
All these characters mean enchantment.
The reason the ancients didn't stick to just one word and instead referred to it as bewitched in various ways is because an anomaly resides in the characters themselves, and characters with anomalies become spells.
This is the same as why I constantly use 'aliases' when calling upon an anomaly.
If an anomaly occupies a single character or name, it's like giving the anomaly a 'home.' Thus, calling the name of an anomaly is akin to saying,
-Hey, ghost. Anomaly.
-This is your home. Come here.
As I emphasize again, the name of an anomaly should never be fixed. If you must call it, you should use a different name each time, and if you lack the knowledge and experience to do so, it's best not to call it from the start.
As the founder of the Library Society, I deliberately created multiple ways to call upon anomalies.
Take the Ten Legs, for example.
It was called by various aliases such as 'Crawling Baby Cthulhu,' 'Lord of Shadows,' 'Thorny Hell,' and 'Lurker.' Considering that the Ten Legs is not a mental anomaly but merely a physical force, it might have been an excessive precaution.
And what about the Outer God, Infinite Void?
I prepared a plethora of terms for humans, enough to overwhelm them: 'Infinite Hell,' 'School Ghost Stories,' 'Night Parade of One Hundred Ghosts,' 'Hyakumonogatari,' 'Forbidden Four Characters,' 'Hyakki Yagyo,' 'Baekhwa (白化).' Going further, although seldom mentioned in anecdotes, 'Heraclitus' Wreath,' 'Backrooms,' etc…
I provided more than enough naming options for humans.
Only in this way can anomalies be driven away by the pressure of the characters without nesting.
Today's story is the same.
When I started the story, I named the anomaly 'Online Game.' But by now, you can guess there's a more appropriate name.
'Logout Game.'
For those who get bewitched by this anomaly, the outcome is an exit from reality.
-Anonymous: There's no content in this trash game, ffs
-Anonymous: For real, I haven't been logging in to games lately. Even dailies are a hassle…
-Anonymous: When will this game end?
-Anonymous: Looking for a level 40 party!! No NPC porters, please ㅠㅠ
-Anonymous: Since all the game fanatics died, there's barely anyone left here lol
-Anonymous: Wow, why is this trash game's forum still alive?
The period players logged out grew longer, and the number of users accessing SG Net steadily decreased.
The community was gradually becoming desolate.
There was one named member who consistently posted nonsense from beginning to end.
-OldManGoryeo: Today, the guild leader NPC made me a cafe mocha.png
└ Anonymous: You still haven't logged off? What level are you?
└ OldManGoryeo: This old man has been max level for a long time, so now I just decorate the guild house instead of running dungeons
└ Anonymous: Max level, damn
└ Anonymous: But how does an NPC perform the guild leader role? Is it a bug?
└ OldManGoryeo: Seeing that the game company doesn't patch it, it doesn't seem like a bug?
Sim Ah-ryeon.
While others were logging off the 'game' one by one, Sim Ah-ryeon continued.
Once she logged in, what she did was nothing significant.
"Sigh. Trash game… It's already been two years without an update, so users keep quitting, ah…"
Complaining about the trash game.
"Guild leader! Look at this! [Coffee Beans]! Hehe. If you receive this item, your favorability goes up, right? Hehe. It's a drop item with a very low chance from defeating Necromancer Liches, and I collected them all and brought them! Eii, eii. Rise, favorability, rise quickly…"
Obsessing over the favorability system that I couldn't understand and showering gifts repeatedly.
"Ehehe, uhee. Uheehee…"
Catching slimes from the Han River and beating them in all sorts of ways.
Watching her, even I thought, 'Won't she get tired of it?' because of her monotonous play pattern.
Sim Ah-ryeon herself seemed to get tired of it. She used to log in every day, but over time, her login intervals became 1 day, 3 days, 7 days.
Even so, it was a steady login rate compared to other players.
In fact, not just players, but even NPCs were almost gone.
At most, there were Noh Do-hwa and the Saintess?
If you searched, Go Yuri might still be around, but there was no reason to invite danger.
In the end, the three of us—me, Noh Do-hwa, and the Saintess—members of the Regression Alliance, decided to live together by the Han River.
There was no point in maintaining the headquarters of the National Road Management Corps any longer, and we couldn't survive just staying in the aquarium mansion in Yongsan.
Most of all, the warmth of life was too sparse in this world. It was inevitable for the last NPCs, or rather survivors, to stick together.
"Hmm. It's quiet…"
Noh Do-hwa breathed out as she drank her coffee.
"The anomalies are not causing any disturbances and are holed up in the dungeons. The awakeners are all petrified and not moving. When I heard the Undertaker experienced countless cycles, I wondered what it would be like to witness the end of the world… Was this the sight?"
"It's rarely this quiet."
We watched the river bask in the sunlight for a while.
"I'll go ahead and experiment."
The Saintess said.
"Pardon?"
"I'll find out where the logged-out people disappeared to. Whether they fell into a state akin to death, or if, as the Undertaker speculated, they were dragged into the 'Divine Realm' of the outer god. I'll log into the game and find out."
"…It'll be dangerous. Other awakeners only had the sense of returning to reality, so they weren't particularly affected. But if you're aware of the outer god and dive in, it's unpredictable how it will react."
"But we need information. Anyway, the Undertaker is considering the next cycle. Then it's better to take on the risk and gain even a little information."
"...…"
"As you pointed out, rashly plunging into the outer god's divine realm is unwise. It might reveal the Undertaker's ability. So, I'll take on the reconnaissance."
It was a valid argument.
Normally, we wouldn't have used a card like the Saintess just to perform a scout's duty.
In the chessboard of our strategy, the Saintess was the King. An agent that should never be captured or revealed to the enemy.
However, there were no more awakeners for the Saintess to monitor, and there was no longer a need to perform for the constellations.
We took a gamble.
In the guild's basement, the Saintess murmured softly.
"Status Window."
"...…"
"...…"
Noh Do-hwa and I watched the Saintess.
"How is it?"
"…I can see my abilities. And my level. But the terms indicating the awakening ability are quite different."
The Saintess was looking at the empty air before her, as if letters were written there.
"Do you see a logout button?"
"Logout button… Ah. Yes, here it is. It's at the bottom of the menu."
"Hmm."
"I'll press it now."
At that moment.
The Saintess froze. Her movements literally stiffened. The heartbeat that had been throbbing in her chest, the sky-blue eyes' gaze, and the water-colored hair fluttering in the river breeze all stopped.
Everything. Completely froze.
"..."
"Hmm."
Noh Do-hwa reached out her hand. But her hand simply swiped through the air.
"It's an unpleasant experience, even after experiencing it several times. Hmm. It's like a mirage or illusion since you can see it but not touch it…"
"..."
"You said you named this anomaly the Logout Game? It seems keen on turning our world into fiction…"
I set the timer on my watch.
Ten seconds.
That was the agreed time with the Saintess. The first logout state would last exactly ten seconds before she would escape.
Ten seconds passed.
The Saintess didn't move.
"...…"
"..."
Anticipating such an outcome, we had also agreed on a second timing of three minutes.
Two minutes and fifty seconds passed.
The Saintess still didn't move.
Foreseeing such a situation, our third timing was――
"Undertaker."
"Yes."
"She's dead."
"...…"
"Watching a dead person for too long is not respectful to the deceased. There's a chance she might return, so I'll keep an eye here. Please go upstairs…"
I agreed with Noh Do-hwa's words.
The river was bathed in light.
After calming my mind, I made two cups of coffee and went back to the basement. Noh Do-hwa's body had frozen.
"...…"
I took one cup of coffee and went back upstairs. I never returned to the basement again.
The next day, a message appeared before my eyes.
[Emergency Patch Notice.]
[The Admin of the Infinite Metagame informs you that a serious bug was discovered and patched at around 3 PM yesterday.]
[We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to our users. Thank you.]
Sometimes, as a regressor, I have such thoughts.
Maybe others treat life more lightly than I do, who spins the wheel endlessly.
In my mind that remembers everything, there are countless endings the Saintess met and countless scenes of Noh Do-hwa's death.
My companions often overlooked how their deaths would be remembered by me.
'I can't die yet.'
In a world where I was left alone, where everyone had fallen into fiction but remained a reality only to me, I waited.
For the moment the outer god would reveal itself.
'The world has almost entirely fallen into your hands. You must be eager to declare your ultimate victory. But there still exists someone who proves [This is not a game] in your void.'
That someone was me.
'I must be a thorn in your side. You anomaly.'
To complete its void, it had to eliminate the impurity.
If the outer god could no longer bear it and threw off the game's mask to reveal its true form, if [The Admin of the Infinite Metagame] showed its true colors, I planned to see that appearance and then die.
Until then, I absolutely wouldn't die. The regressor couldn't be taken lightly. Unlike Old Man Scho, who always ended his life like a molly fish, I had tenacity.
"Guild leader, have you been well? Haa. Real life has been so busy lately, it's getting harder to log in... But I'll visit whenever I think of it! Hehe."
Sim Ah-ryeon's login intervals rapidly increased.
Now it wasn't strange for her to log in once a year, once every three years.
Talking to her, it seemed she wasn't aware that it had been three years. She probably thought she was logging in after about three weeks.
'The flow of time is different.'
Well, it was natural for time to become strange in the void. Even in Baekwha Girls' High, Cheon Yo-hwa didn't think she had spent four years there.
I didn't just sit idly and let the time pass.
I entered the dungeon, known among Korean users to be the most valuable, and hunted all the monsters.
After waiting for a moment, the monsters respawned, but I killed them all.
For 11 years.
Originally, the experience points should have gone to the players, but I, a mere NPC, had ruined it all.
[Emergency Patch Notice.]
[The Admin of the Infinite Metagame informs you that a serious bug was discovered and patched urgently.]
[We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to our users. Thank you.]
Soon after, the dungeon disappeared.
"Hah."
Did it mean there was no longer a need to maintain the pretense of the game's structure?
I went on to destroy the dungeons across the Korean peninsula. Each time, 'emergency patches' were made, and the once meticulously crafted 'game' rapidly deteriorated.
The cities and villages where players once interacted met the same fate. Beautiful natural scenery, streets, grotesque monsters, all objects were destroyed.
Only the petrified players who were still logged out remained scattered around.
My rampage continued for 37 years.
[Emergency Patch Notice.]
[Emergency Patch Notice.]
[Emergency Patch Notice.]
At some point, even the game stopped changing the night and day cycle.
Even the Sun and the Earth had been bewitched by the outer god.
The Han River's flow stopped. The cicadas' summer sounds ceased. Even when monsters respawned, they stayed in place.
A bizarre world.
A broken game.
A virtual El Dorado where nothing is born and nothing dies.
However, the eternal memory within my brain and the blood flowing through my veins constantly reminded me that I was still alive.
Now, the real-time was only the memories within my brain, and the real space was only the volume of my body.
[Emergency Patch Notice.]
212 years passed.
-x-X-x-
The Non-Players V
Now the appearance of the void had become shabby.
The graphics of the once beautifully flowing river degraded from 'virtual reality game' to 'AAA game,' then to an ordinary '3D game,' and finally to the level of a '90s console game'.
Ultimately, it fell to the level of a 'dot game.'
In this void, no sea or river flowed. Only fixed blue, sky blue, and white dots remained.
The mountains were modest green and dark green. Trees were black-brown and yellow-brown. Rocks were gray. Clouds were white.
The players, simply put, had transformed into flesh-colored dots with a bit of decoration.
"...."
Every time Sim Ah-ryeon logged in, with intervals of 1 year, 3 years, 9 years, 20 years, and 50 years, her 'graphics' deteriorated.
From a character that looked like it was meticulously crafted by a graphic designer in an AAA game, to a character typical of any 3D game, to a design appearing in low-quality 90s games.
By the last time we met, if you didn't know it was Sim Ah-ryeon, you'd just see her as a 'green-haired,' 'long-haired,' 'polygon chunk' carrying a 'large wooden easel.'
SG Net also met its end.
-OldManGoryeo: The cafe mocha the guild leader NPC made for me today.jpeg
-OldManGoryeo: The cafe mocha the guild leader NPC made for me today.png
-OldManGoryeo: The cafe mocha the guild leader NPC made for me today.jpg
-OldManGoryeo: The cafe mocha the guild leader NPC made for me today.jpeg
There was only one person's post on the first page of the forum.
Even that was an old post.
For the past 100 years, Sim Ah-ryeon hadn't logged in. I thought she couldn't endure this 'trash game' any longer and quit.
Seo Gyu also became a player hundreds of years ago, yet SG Net was still maintained, suggesting that the Awakeners who were 'logged out' didn't die but were 'dragged into' the domain of the outer god.
[Service Termination Notice.]
Finally.
[Hello, players. This is the Admin of the Infinite Metagame.]
[We regret to inform you that the 'Reality Online' service will be terminated.]
[We sincerely thank all the players who enjoyed and loved 'Reality Online' until now.]
[The 'Reality Online' server will shut down in 72 hours.]
Three days.
For all those centuries, the anomaly that had kept its true form tightly hidden would crawl out of its den when the world was ending.
I waited. Clutching Do-hwa, the prized sword that had stayed with me for over 200 years in this cycle, without a single nick.
And exactly 72 hours later,
[Hello, everyone. This is the Admin of the Infinite Metagame.]
Suddenly, a blue butterfly appeared in the mosaic sky made of dots.
That butterfly had a distinctly different 'resolution' compared to the surrounding scenery.
I unleashed a strike as soon as I saw the anomaly, but unfortunately, it didn't reach the sky. That mosaic sky probably didn't exist as a real space.
Ignoring my attack, messages continued to flow before my eyes.
[We are about to embark on a new journey.]
[It may take a very long time to reach the new destination, but we hope to meet you again somewhere at the end of the Möbius loop.]
[Thank you.]
[We definitely want to meet you again.]
Then.
"Ah ah ah ah!"
A mechanical sound came from behind me. It was an endlessly unfamiliar yet somehow familiar sound.
I was taken aback and had to turn around, even though I was staring at the outer god anomaly with cold hatred.
There.
"Guild leader!"
Green dot hair.
Flesh-colored dot face. Eyes and mouth made of black dots.
A dot figure, much smaller than me, was standing there.
"I'm back!"
The dot figure exaggeratedly swung its arms back and forth as it took steps toward me. Thud. Thud. The crude footstep sound effects echoed as its shoes hit the ground.
The dot figure hugged my waist tightly. That too was just a sound effect. I felt no sensation from my waist.
I hesitated and opened my mouth. It had been so long since I talked to someone that my tongue moved sluggishly.
"…Ah-ryeon?"
"Yes!"
The dot figure smiled. Probably widely.
Every time it spoke, a text electronic sound followed. The few pitch mechanical sounds barely mimicked a human voice.
"How did you, no. Why are you here…?"
"Why? When the server termination notice went up, I hurriedly logged in! Since it's the last time, I at least wanted to spend the last moments with the guild leader!"
"..."
"Sorry for being late, guild leader. Hehe."
I…
[Alert.]
[The server will automatically shut down in 30 seconds.]
I hugged 'Sim Ah-ryeon' tightly.
It felt like hugging the air. There was no sensation in my arms. I stroked her hair, which was always unkempt and sticking out. Again, there was no sensation.
"Guild leader?"
"No. You don't have to apologize. You have nothing to be sorry about, Ah-ryeon. Rather, I should apologize as the guild leader. I... I was trying to gather information for the next time. I didn't expect you to end up like this."
"Guild leader."
Sim Ah-ryeon reached out her hand.
[The server will automatically shut down in 20 seconds.]
"Don't be sad, guild leader."
[The server will automatically shut down in 10 seconds.]
"I really like the cafe mocha you make, guild leader."
[The server will automatically shut down in 3 seconds.]
[The server will automatically shut down in 2 seconds.]
[The server will automatically shut down in 1 second.]
"So, next time too――"
When the countdown ended, the dot world instantly faded to 16-bit color.
Then, without any pause, it degraded to 8-bit, 4-bit, and finally to a scenery made only of black and white.
The nutrients, reality, and essence of our world were all being ravenously devoured by the butterfly in that void.
Sim Ah-ryeon's lips moved, but only an ah-ah-ah sound, a mechanical noise that couldn't be converted into a human voice, echoed.
At that moment, I felt the outer god was doing everything it could to 'bewitch' me. I also sensed that if I got bewitched, I would lose even the chance to end my own life.
I mustered my last aura. Hugging Sim Ah-ryeon even tighter.
"····· ·······"
I couldn't understand any sound from Sim Ah-ryeon, who had now fallen below 1-bit, but I was certain it was the sound of a smile.
Everything faded to black.
My reality met 'server termination.'
There's an epilogue.
Quite a lot, actually.
It would be nice if I could quickly reach a happy ending where I, the Undertaker, begin a great counterattack and smash the outer god that dared to touch our world― but unfortunately, that's something I'll attempt much later.
It wasn't until after the 555th cycle that I started developing a strategy to tackle 'The Admin of the Infinite Metagame' or the 'Logout Game.'
So for now, let's start with some small epilogues instead of jumping straight to the 555th cycle.
First epilogue.
"What, what's this? Where am I?"
"Huh? Busan Station? I was just at the park…"
"Leader? Leader, where are you?"
Murmur, murmur.
Right after dying by the outer god, I woke up to familiar murmurs.
The Busan Station waiting room.
Although I couldn't call it my hometown, it was a place I could say was the regressor's hometown. People who had been trapped in the void were bewildered.
'Ah.'
I felt a temporary sense of deflation.
No matter how much of a master I was at managing my mentality, it was never easy to regress right after facing a bad ending.
In such times, I relied on my own regression routine. Getting up quickly, walking to the vending machine to buy a Ceylon tea, subduing the Tutorial Fairy to save Seo Gyu, then picking up the Silver Bells from the souvenir shop. A series of routines. Habits. Suggestions. Rituals.
Isn't it interesting?
In a world where everything repeats forever, the way for a human to protect oneself is to draw a circle slightly smaller than the world. Thus, the world becomes the clock hands, the growth rings that draw the rhythm of time, and ultimately a round dance.
I raised my upper body. To wind up the spring of life once again, I pushed my weight forward. And then.
Thunk—
"...?"
Something came into my life.
A very light laptop was placed on my thigh.
'A laptop?'
It was something I had never seen before. Here, 'never' meant that throughout all cycles, I had never witnessed such a scene with a laptop on my thigh.
My eyes widened.
I immediately turned on the laptop.
Beep, whirr…
The booting time was slow.
My heart pounded. People murmured around me, but I ignored them all.
What mattered now was that this unknown object had suddenly entered my regression, into my eternal round dance.
Soon the desktop appeared. A blank white desktop. No miscellaneous icons at all.
Only an unnamed notepad file lay in the upper right corner of the screen.
"..."
Click.
Following my heart's lead, I clicked the file. Then the notepad appeared on the laptop screen.
[What is this world?]
A single line of text.
At that moment, I instinctively knew. This laptop and the notepad file were left by none other than the Outer God 'Admin of the Infinite Metagame.'
Was it a reward for being the last survivor in the game it hosted? Or was this mysterious question-and-answer itself another game?
Either way, in my 135th cycle, I couldn't tell.
Only that another item, besides the cane-sword Do-hwa, had been bound to my endlessly repeating regression.
"Hm."
Clack. I typed and replied to the outer god's notepad.
[F U C K Y O U]
...
There was no response from the laptop.
What went wrong?
Thinking for a moment, I realized that the question was in Korean, but I had responded in English.
Clearly, it was my mistake. I quickly erased my answer and typed again.
[Why don't you just eat a dick, you fucking son of a bitch.]
Click—
The laptop turned off. It shut down on its own.
Even in the next cycle, the laptop didn't work until I transitioned to the next one.
It seemed I only got two chances per cycle to answer the question.
Epilogue two.
As I mentioned, even though I acquired the laptop as a bound item, I hadn't succeeded in defeating the outer god.
Therefore, a temporary measure was necessary.
I gathered Noh Do-hwa and the Saintess and earnestly requested.
"If the status window appears, we must start preparations immediately to prevent anyone from opening it at all costs."
"Hm…"
"We must not pick and choose means and methods. Using the authority of the National Road Management Corps and the whispers of the Constellations, continuously indoctrinate how harmful the status window is."
"Well, understood…"
"Saintess, if you find any awakeners bewitched by the status window, report to us immediately. The National Road Management Corps will arrest and imprison them."
"Yes, Undertaker."
"Imprison the awakeners as life-sentenced prisoners. If necessary, treat them as death row inmates. If we create rumors that they're spreading mental anomalies like a virus, we can minimize resistance."
Of the 72 death row inmates mobilized for the Inunaki Tunnel hunt, many were awakeners imprisoned for this 'status window viewing crime.'
My measures didn't stop there.
'The magic of the Logout Game largely stemmed from the fulfillment of the desire for progress. Hitting damage with visible numbers, gaining experience points, and leveling up.'
Simply oppressing the awakeners wouldn't be enough to stop the spread of the status window. Where there's desire, demand arises.
An alternative to somewhat satisfy people's desires was necessary.
That was 'Cafe Agit.'
-OldManGoryeo: (1000m) I like quiet cafes, but I don't dislike noisy ones either. However, because there are too few visitors to my depth, I unintentionally rented out the cafe by myself ㅇㅇ… I'm bored, so you all come down quickly.
└[Baekwha] NinthGrader: (1200m) >_<);;
└OldManGoryeo: Idiot lolol There's almost no difference between 1000 meters and 1200 meters, but you act like it's a big deal lololol
└[Baekwha] NinthGrader: (1200m) The fish are pretty (>_<);;
└OldManGoryeo: Fish? What fish?
└BaekwhaGirlsHigh9thGrader: (1200m) Haha (>_<);;
└OldManGoryeo: ???
Depth system.
I assigned numerical grades to the awakeners.
It was difficult to understand the difference between Level 10 and Level 11. But Cafe Agit's depth of 100 meters and 200 meters, and then 300 meters and 400 meters, were designed so that anyone could clearly see that 'the interior and service are luxurious.'
This was my measure.
To prevent mental anomalies from intruding recklessly, I built the cafe in an underwater tunnel.
Designed the depth system and cafes to satisfy Awakeners' desires for progress.
Continued to bombard them with laws from the National Road Management Corps and warnings from the Constellations to instill awareness of the status window.
This thorough defense was successful. From the 197th cycle onward, I never faced extinction due to the Logout Game.
Now, as a regressor, my job was to wait until an exact strategy was developed.
There was no problem. As this story proved, I was very familiar with waiting.
Therefore.
"Ah-ryeon."
"Yes, yes? What is it…"
"I brought a slime I found on a walk. It's for you."
"Whaaat? I just happened to want to beat up a slime, how, how did you know…?"
"And this is a donut from the Haeundae bakery you like. Here."
"Huh? Huh? Is today my birthday? Guild leader is being kind to me! A miracle that might happen once every 700 days…"
Today's epilogue ends with watching our problem child happily munching on a donut after beating a slime with a club.
"Hehe… Thank you, guild leader!"
-x-X-x-
The Agonizer
Let's recount a short anecdote about Old Man Scho.
"Hey, Embalmer."
"..."
As I've mentioned before, Old Man Scho often called me "Embalmer." This was because my alias was Undertaker, a profession involved in embalming the dead.
The saying "It's not what you say but how you say it" fits perfectly here.
He called me "Em-balm-er" instead of "Em-balmer" with a slight change in the vowel sound, but in Old Man Scho's highly developed Korean pronunciation, it had a ring that resembled "damn."
This proved that Old Man Scho's mental state hadn't matured past infancy. By giving people nasty nicknames and using them in front of others, he was trying to assert his power over them.
In the eternal election between the goodness of human nature and the bad, today, the latter gained another precious vote.
"Embalmer. Why don't you answer? Did you donate your tongue to a beggar? Hey, you shouldn't mess with beggars like that."
"Damn…"
"Hey, Embalmer. I'm pleased to see you understanding the Parthenon Temple's maxim to 'Know thyself,' but why do you belittle yourself like that? Do you still claim to be a regressor? All human values are equal. Though you may be a damned bastard, you're still an embalmer, not a plague."
Who taught this old German native-level Korean?
Truly, that person must be an incredible language instructor. If I could identify them, I'd love to visit and give them a polite stab.
"So, what is it? What new nonsense are you planning this time?"
"You remember better than I do. That kid."
Old Man Scho pointed to someone.
A child, about five years old. A girl was playing, running around with her young parents who owned a bakery in Haeundae, Busan.
Old Man Scho spoke.
"Last cycle, that kid was a boy."
"..."
"The couple's child changes with each cycle. The child that should have been born to that couple disappeared. Isn't that right?"
That wasn't all. Though I hadn't told Old Man Scho, I remembered precisely. With each cycle, the couple's child always changed.
In the 18th cycle, it was a boy, and in the 17th cycle, it was also a boy but looked different. In the 11th cycle, they had twins. The timing of pregnancy and birth varied subtly. Not once did the same child appear in any cycle.
"So, what is your point? Why ask this all of a sudden?"
"Think about it, doc."
When talking seriously, Old Man Scho would call me doc instead of Embalmer.
"Every time we regress, the children who existed in the previous world disappear entirely."
"…Not all of them."
"Right. Those lives unaffected by our butterfly effect remain. But since the Ten Legs was exterminated, I've noticed more lives I've never seen before."
"Many felt it was safe to settle in Korea after the Ten Legs was exterminated, which is natural."
"Don't pretend not to understand. That's not my point. I'm saying there are children whose existence is erased entirely due to our regressions! Their memories, their beings. Everything! Except for you, who remembers everything!"
"..."
"I worry that the unintended butterfly effect I cause might be doing something terrible to those little children."
Old Man Scho's old face was filled with an indescribable guilt.
I later learned that the Schopenhauer couple had once lost a child to miscarriage. Old Man Scho projected his wounds onto the 'disappeared lives' every time a cycle passed.
Maybe that's why Old Man Scho decided to take a 'vacation.'
To erase his traces, to not interfere at all with the lives that were yet to be born, so their existence wouldn't be erased meaninglessly.
"Hmm."
"…What's with that irritating expression?"
"Nothing. Just…"
But my thoughts were different. Not just thoughts, my feelings too.
Perhaps this was when Old Man Scho and I were destined to part ways.
Because I didn't feel any guilt towards those 'disappeared lives.'
Of course, I felt regret and sorrow.
For instance, the child Old Man Scho pointed out had once given me bread, following her parents in making rice donuts. They made too many and ended up giving me some as a gift.
"Hyung! Ah-ah!"
The child's laughter, the hand that put the donut in my mouth, the stooping of my back to receive the child's touch, the stickiness of the sugar coating too thick on the rice donut, my reaction of 'Wow, this is really delicious!' and the shy greetings of the child's parents.
All memories that remained with me.
Yes, I admit it.
I will never again receive a sugar donut from Jeong Seo-ah, the five-year-old girl from the Haeundae bakery, who wanted to make bread because her parents were so cool.
Not only Jeong Seo-ah, countless losses—tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands—cling to a regressor's years.
Shadows exist not only in space but also in time, and we call those shadows memories. The longest-lived human, me, bore the deepest shadows.
But my heart's emotions were sorrow, wistfulness, longing.
I can say unequivocally that they were not guilt.
To begin with, the subjects of my guilt were limited.
Mostly to the tombstones I had sealed with Time Seal. That is, only those whom I had buried forever.
"Old man, I told you last time."
"Huh? What?"
"You know, you wondered if we erase existences every time we regress because the children born in each cycle are different."
"Huh? When did I say that…? Oh, oh, that?"
Old Man Scho glared at me.
"What a crazy bastard."
"...?"
"You damned bastard! That was more than three cycles ago! Why do you talk like it was yesterday? You're trying to make me look like a forgetful old man on purpose, aren't you?"
Old Man Scho fumed. It took three minutes to calm him down.
So, I couldn't bring up the joke, "Didn't you once tell me not to use the word 'plague' on people? Why the change?" When dealing with someone much older, you have to yield a lot.
"Doc, if you don't fix that nasty habit, you'll get in big trouble one day."
"Indeed. Hearing that from an old man whose whole body is infested with crazy cells suddenly makes me vigilant."
"Why is your tongue getting sharper every day…? Embalmer! Where did your innocent old self disappear to?"
"Who knows. Probably dragged away by Germans, gassed, and died."
"You racist bastard! My family supported the Social Democrats since the Imperial era! My ancestors were arrested too!"
"Yeah, no matter how much a white man frames a yellow man with racism, it doesn't work? Anyway, old man, I thought long and hard about what you said, but I disagree."
We were walking along Haeundae Beach.
Once a symbol of vacation in Korea. The jewel named civilization that humanity lost seemed to have stolen everything from here. The water-colored sand held a blue emerald.
"If lives disappear every time we regress, conversely, new lives that couldn't have been born before are created because of us."
"…Huh?"
"If there were no regressions, the humans born at this moment would have been predetermined. But the stronger the butterfly effect we cause, the farther it spreads, and entirely different possibilities briefly see the world."
"..."
"Of course, it's not a good world. Every generation complains they were born in the worst times, but now it's really the worst except for the Ice Age. Still, I think it's better to be here briefly and pass through life than to remain in the bottomless abyss of nothingness."
Crunch. The sand under my shoes made a sound.
"And do we regress because we like it? It's the damned anomalies' fault. The ones who should feel guilty are those anomalies. Why should we bear the world's destruction?"
"Hah."
"Old man. In my opinion, there's no need to feel guilty about the departed lives, nor claim credit for the new ones. The resolve to prevent world destruction is already a heavy burden on us. Adding nonexistent responsibilities to it would only break our backs unnecessarily."
"..."
"If you feel you must be guilty, that too is a resolve, so I won't stop you, but you should feel just as much joy for the new lives."
"..."
"As I am not a great person, I choose not to feel both guilt and joy for new lives, as I can't bear both."
The sound of waves, sand, and footsteps continued for a long time.
So, I had just advised Old Man Scho not to be too sad.
"The boy who couldn't understand a single line of the Analects has grown so wise."
Like an old sea spewing waves, a sigh flowed from Old Man Scho's mouth.
"Indeed. Having the courage to possess something is difficult, but even more difficult is the courage to abandon it. Doc, maybe you are more suitable as a regressor than I am."
I couldn't easily agree with that soliloquy.
But one thing was certain: my words didn't offer much comfort. As you know, Old Man Scho eventually went on a vacation with his beloved wife.
I still didn't agree with Old Man Scho's assertion.
It was just that seeing Sim Ah-ryeon smiling with 1-bit graphics made me wonder for a moment if I was doing something terrible to other children.
"Hey, mister!"
It was then, while walking along the beach.
"Hmm?"
"Ah-ah!"
A small boy came running, thrusting a rice donut towards me. Looking over the boy's shoulder, I saw a familiar bakery couple smiling cautiously.
I immediately understood the situation.
"Ah-ah!"
"..."
I compared the boy in front of me to Jeong Seo-ah, the little girl I met thousands of years ago in the 19th cycle.
Their appearances were entirely different.
But surprisingly, the taste of the rice donut I bit into, including the overly thick sugar coating, was remarkably similar.
My eyes widened. I chewed the donut, savoring its taste.
"How is it? Delicious?"
"…Delicious. Really, very delicious. You could be a bakery owner."
The boy giggled and ran back to his parents' embrace, leaving a trail of sand grains in the air.
As I left Haeundae with light steps, a peculiar sense of incongruity stopped me.
'Wait, didn't the little girl in the 19th cycle call me hyung?'
In terms of pure timing, excluding cycles, I was a year younger now.
'So why did he call me mister…?'
Hmm.
…Come to think of it, maybe Jeong Seo-ah's rice donuts were tastier.