Chapter 2

A Regressor Carrying the Memory of a Doomed World - Chapter 2

A system message flickers before my eyes.

‘Displaying.’

The moment I think that, waves of memories flood into me.

* * *

A week later, I read the news on my tablet.

The so-called Gate Break.

One thousand people randomly touched by the light from the gate were dragged inside, and only a hundred returned alive.

"Hehe. It's probably nothing. I heard they were just goblin-level. The non-awakened died, but if they were goblins, I could handle them..."

At that time, I was living a life of servitude in a guild.

Six months later, I read the news on my tablet again.

"Excuse me? The guild leader hasn't returned yet?"

This time, even more people were caught in the light from the gate and dragged inside.

The guild leader was one of them.

Later, I found out that the monsters of the second break were far beyond what a D-rank hunter like her could handle.

Indeed, she never returned even after a month.

The guild, which had only been dealing with E-rank gates, was disbanded.

* * *

I was lucky. A year later, I wasn't touched by the light and wasn't dragged into the gate.

However, that didn't mean I was safe.

"Vvvvvv. In accordance with the mobilization order, all awakened and reserve members are requested to gather at the locations specified in the text messages you have received."

The third break. From then on, when a gate failed to clear, monsters poured into the real world, and I had to fight them in reality.

"Kill them all—!"

Bang, bang, bang, bang.

With even non-awakened people taking up guns, I, as an awakened, had to wield a sword instead of a bag.

Monsters that periodically ravaged the real world with each break.

People began to fear the breaks.

"I don't know when I'll be dragged in."

"I don't know when I'll encounter a monster."

Around this time, some awakened began to share their expertise with the comrades they trusted.

Hadaeho, who had awakened to S-rank this year, was one of them.

I knelt before him in front of everyone, having joined his guild as a porter.

"Please, I want to learn how to use a sword."

I wanted to survive.

"I want to become stronger."

To do that, I had to become stronger.

Unlike other awakened, the survival rate of [Inventory] awakened was not much different from that of non-awakened.

"Let's see how it goes."

Fortunately, Hadaeho accepted me, and to become stronger, I swung my sword until my hands bled.

"I'll work hard!"

His training was perfect, and I began to grow gradually.

Two years passed.

Having grown to a B-rank hunter, I received my first decent weapon-type artifact.

It was a bow.

I was just starting to feel my limits.

I had received recognition from Hadaeho in swordsmanship, but I couldn't breathe fire or manipulate space like others.

All I could do was run up to monsters and swing my blade.

Feeling the need for other attack methods, I approached Hadaeho.

"Brother Dae-ho, I've thought about it for a long time. I'm sorry to say this, but to make better use of my inventory, I need to handle multiple weapons, not just a sword..."

So I sought his understanding and joined Im Sol's guild.

"I'll work my hardest. Even without pay, if you could just teach me archery when you have time, or even let me learn by watching, I'll dedicate myself to the guild."

I bowed deeply to her, a former national archery champion and a top hunter in Korea, to learn archery from her.

"I've heard from Dae-ho. But I can't just take you in... I'll decide after seeing you shoot. Aim at that target over there."

That decision was right.

Although I can't breathe fire or manipulate space like Im Sol,

"Is this your first time shooting?"

"Yes, this is my first time shooting."

I had quite a talent for handling various weapons.

* * *

Ten years later, I wandered from guild to guild.

Whenever a decent artifact of any weapon appeared, I would go there without hesitation and ask to learn the related skills. Soon, my inventory was always stocked with over ten types of weapons.

It wasn't just for show.

I was familiar enough with all weapons to choose the appropriate one for any situation.

I gradually gained confidence in my skills.

As research on mana utilization progressed, my confidence grew even more.

Mana.

"The most supreme energy used by the awakened."

As the utilization of mana developed and evolved, the paradigm of abilities also changed.

"The efficiency of energy conversion cannot reach 100%, and the same applies to mana."

It was natural for abilities to be re-evaluated.

In short, my ability [Inventory], which I thought was useless, became the biggest beneficiary of mana technology development.

And another year passed.

From then on, I no longer had to kneel or bow to anyone.

* * *

Intelligent monsters began to come into the real world and learn. They started kidnapping people and, half a year later, could even speak Korean awkwardly.

From then on, humanity began to crumble.

Plant-type monsters, Laplace, offered safety in exchange for people allowing parts of their bodies to be plantified.

"I won't attack defectors. If you defect, I'll help you overcome your inferior physical condition."

Some people became defectors and gradually moved to areas occupied by monsters.

Crime surged. No one knew who the perpetrators were. Were defectors secretly returning to carry out terrorism, or were existing awakened taking advantage of social unrest to reveal their true colors?

No one could tell.

"Who believes in IDs these days? It doesn't say 'raider' or 'defector' on them. Is there anyone here who knows?"

People began to distrust each other unless they were known or had been seen for a long time.

"Damn... I knew this would happen... Defector bastards."

Suspicion led to violence, and violence led to more violence.

Gradually, violence and crime were justified as 'necessary for survival.'

"The real monsters are you. You're so eager to devour each other, more disgusting than insects and filthier than mud."

The number of defectors exploded.

Already struggling with monsters, humanity now faced traitors who had turned their backs on them.

"Absolutely don't let them into the city!"

Civilization began to regress.

* * *

Sixteen years later, I listen to the radio.

Seventeen years later, I read the newspaper.

"Screeeech! Sender: Park Shin-hyuk. Reconnaissance report. Confirmed 100 survivors in all areas of Seoul."

Eighteen years later, I send a message.

"Brother Dae-ho. This might be the last food supply."

Nineteen years later, I go out to gather information.

"Who are you talking to?"

"To Park Shin-hyuk, who will be listening to this conversation 20 years from now."

And 20 years later, in a world without a future, I prepare to regress with Kang Ye-bin.

* * *

And now.

"......"

Do you remember what happened when you were ten?

If you remember, are you the ten-year-old you or the current you?

Or is it just that your current self remembers the events of ten years ago?

It's the same for me. I only 'recalled' the future.

Therefore, I can confidently say:

The me living now—

"I am Park Shin-hyuk from 20 years in the future."

The Park Shin-hyuk at the end of my memories, 20 years in the future, is my true self.

"Therefore......"

I remember the thousands, no, millions of sword swings.

I remember the sensation of shooting an arrow in the face of a typhoon.

I remember the stance, center of gravity, and range of my spear.

I am......

......

I am not the Park Shin-hyuk from 20 years ago, who couldn't even feel such clear mana.

I am the one who survived until the very end in a world where only the strong could survive.

The SSS-rank hunter, Park Shin-hyuk.

"......"

Even though I'm currently a newly promoted E-rank.

* * *

Four hours later.

"I'll really kill that guy if he shows up."

Han Joo-ik muttered while extracting mana stones from monster corpses. Is it right for a combatant like me to be bending over to search through corpses?

"Park Shin-hyuk......"

I waited for that porter for an hour, and he didn't come back. I saw with my own eyes that he went to a place where the monsters had already been cleared, so he couldn't have been killed by them.

"Where the hell is that guy hiding? He's probably going to get shot in the head."

Either he's being lazy because he doesn't want to work or he's too scared to come back after getting covered in monster guts.

It's definitely one of those two.

"This is definitely crossing the line."

"Isn't he really good at his job? He's the only porter who's lasted over a year in our guild."

"Would he really be taking a shower for over four hours? He's lost his mind. He's trying to die."

The other guild members, who were also extracting mana stones, seemed to agree.

Han Joo-ik called the most reliable of his comrades.

"Seong-gil."

"What?"

"What do you think of Park Shin-hyuk?"

"Park Shin-hyuk? He's a pain in the ass."

Seong-gil lifted his hand, covered in pieces of monster entrails.

"Joo-ik, when Park Shin-hyuk comes back, you should train him well. You've been doing a good job, but this time, you need to be even stricter, right?"

"No, I mean, what do you think of him?"

Han Joo-ik lifted his hand, stained with monster blood, and smiled twistedly.

"What if we just use this porter up to this point?"

"Huh?"

"I thought he was diligent and had potential, and seemed quite useful... But after today's behavior, he's clearly not right, isn't he?"

What if there were still monsters left?

Would he fight while throwing away his weapon and extracting mana stones from corpses?

Damn. We paid a lot of money to hire him, and if he dies, who's going to take responsibility?

"But what about the contract?"

Seong-gil tilted his head.

"You said a few days ago that you liked hitting him and signed a long-term contract?"

"That's what I'm saying."

That was the problem this time.

Usually, he could just be fired, but this time, it couldn't be done like before.

"Since it's a contract certified by the association, we can't just cancel it."

"So we have to pay Park Shin-hyuk a penalty."

"Damn. What penalty? He's the one who made the mistake. Why should we pay a penalty for his benefit?"

Is there any other way? After rubbing his chin for a while, Han Joo-ik's eyes lit up.

"Let's ask him."

"Huh?"

"Park Shin-hyuk. Let's bury him in a gate that will disappear after clearing."