Hyunwoo stood atop a high hill, or maybe it was something far more abstract—a realm stitched from memory, spirit, and fate. The sky above was torn in half—one side roared with burning crimson energy, the other shimmered with blinding, radiant light. The two powers weren't just opposing; they were clashing in a cosmic war that made the air vibrate and the ground beneath him tremble like it feared what was coming.
He was frozen, eyes wide as the spectacle unfolded. His heart thudded hard in his chest. He felt everything at once—fear, confusion, awe… and something deeper. Something primal. Something that whispered, "You've been here before."
Then it happened.
The red energy surged—massive, suffocating, and hateful. It grew, spread, coiled through the sky like a living storm. The light tried to push back, but for a moment, the red drowned it. The air turned heavy, darker, more ancient.
A voice, cold as the void and deep as eternity, exploded across the realm.
"We're not done yet… You're mine… Pay for what you did back then…"
Hyunwoo felt like his soul was about to tear apart. That voice didn't just echo—it pierced. It shook him from the inside like his heart was being gripped by invisible claws. His knees gave in and he dropped to the ground, gasping.
And then—
Everything shattered.
Like glass. Like fragile reality breaking.
The scenery twisted violently and reformed, throwing him into another vision—no, a memory. A powerful, haunting souvenir from a life long buried in time.
The sky was blackened with smoke. The earth soaked in blood. Corpses littered a vast battlefield. Soldiers, monsters, knights… friend and foe, all reduced to broken bodies and silent screams. A haunting wind blew across the field, carrying with it the stench of death and ashes.
Hyunwoo's eyes locked on a figure standing in the middle of it all.
His heart stopped.
It was him.
But not… him.
The man standing tall among the corpses wore his face—but the resemblance ended there. This version of Hyunwoo was something else entirely. Older? No. Wiser? Maybe. But different. His eyes held no trace of confusion or panic—only burning determination and the weight of impossible decisions. A black armor clung to him like a second skin, cracked and scorched from battle but still glowing with suppressed energy. The ground beneath his boots smoked. His breath formed mist even in this hellfire.
In his hand, he held the Celestial Sword.
But it, too, had changed.
Gone was the soft celestial shimmer—this blade looked alive. Like it breathed. The edge was wrapped in radiant light, pulsing faintly like a heartbeat. Etchings, ancient and sacred, glowed along its body, and it hummed with power that made the air around it bend. It was no longer just a weapon.
It was a symbol.
A promise.
And standing opposite him, towering and terrifying, was a demon of nightmares. Its horns twisted like serpents, its body an amalgamation of shadows and fire, dripping with death. Eyes that gleamed with hate stared straight at the older Hyunwoo, like it remembered something. Something personal.
This wasn't a battle.
This was a reckoning.
The demon roared, shattering what little remained of the ruined sky, but Hyunwoo stood his ground. No fear. No hesitation.
Just purpose.
Then—
FLASH.
The vision ended, yanked away violently like a curtain ripped from the stage.
Hyunwoo gasped, eyes wide, breath shaking. He fell to his knees, overcome. Sweat dripped from his brow. He clutched his chest, trying to piece together the whirlwind of emotions crashing inside him.
Confusion. Fear. Despair. And something else.
A heavy sense of responsibility.
"I… what… who was that…?" he muttered.
Unable to hold it in anymore, he shouted into the void, his voice trembling, "Who are you!? What was that?! Why am I even seeing this?! Why am I in this world?! Who even am I?!"
The divine presence returned.
She stood before him once again, radiating light and ancient grace. Her long silver hair danced with the wind of the spirit world, and her eyes held millennia of wisdom—and sorrow.
"It may be a little late… due to a certain unlucky interference…" she said gently, "but I am the World Tree, my child."
Hyunwoo staggered backward, eyes wide, lips quivering. "World Tree…?"
She nodded.
"And you… you carry more mystery than even you can imagine. Your soul has lived through storms greater than this one. But the truth is yours to uncover. No one else may walk that path for you."
Her hand rose. A gentle breeze swirled around her fingers, weaving threads of golden light.
"But until that time comes…" she smiled softly, "this is my gift to you."
DING!
A sound like fate announcing itself echoed through the space.
A Status Window appeared before Hyunwoo, brighter and clearer than ever before.
[Choose Your Second Class]
Hyunwoo blinked in disbelief.
"I… I can have two classes?" he asked, unsure whether to feel excited or terrified.
She chuckled softly. "It's only possible… because you are you."
He stared at the window, uncertain… then something guided him.
Instinct?
Fate?
He selected the class that felt like it had always been meant for him—waiting.
The moment he did, the text on the status window turned red.
Not red like danger.
Red like a seal.
A blood oath.
[You shall now carry the burden of this world. Save it.]
The World Tree's expression turned grave, her tone no longer gentle, but sharp with divine urgency.
"The next time, my child… it will be you against them. Be ready to fight—not just for yourself, but for the future. For everything."
Hyunwoo's voice cracked as he asked, "Who… are they?"
But it was in vain.
She had already vanished.
Silence fell again.
And then—
Hyunwoo's eyes flew open.
The world returned, slow and blurry. He was lying on a soft bed. His body heavy, his head pounding. The scent of medicine and candles filled the air. His fingers twitched as sensation came back.
And then he saw her.
Lirae.
Curled in a chair beside the bed, head resting on her arms, asleep. Her face was pale, tired, but peaceful. She'd been watching over him—maybe for hours… maybe for days.
Despite the pain and confusion still wrapping around him like chains, a small warmth crept into his chest. Her presence… it made the pain tolerable. The confusion a little quieter.
Then, suddenly—
[Status Window: Celestial Sword Activated]
Celestial Sword: "You came back from the dead!? Ugh… You're basically a zombie now. Do you have any idea how scared I was?!"
Hyunwoo blinked.
He smirked faintly. Not fully back to himself, but something was returning.
"…You can talk normally now?" he muttered.
He looked at the blade leaning beside the bed, its glow faint but steady.
Hyunwoo let out a breath, long and slow.
"Buddy… we've got a scary, messed-up future ahead of us. Be ready."
The Celestial Sword flickered on the status window again.
Celestial Sword: "Stop scaring me, idiot. But… even if it's terrifying… I'll be with you."
For once—
The funny, sarcastic Hyunwoo was gone.
All that remained was silence… and the shadow of what was coming next.