"Hah… Where is this?"
"Isn't this… a system window?"
I stared at the transparent blue panel floating in front of me.
The text inside scrolled slowly, familiar:
[Welcome back, Player.]
"…Wait, Player!?"
I quickly looked around.
The surroundings were clearly different. My clothes were now all black.
And when I caught my reflection in the system window… a young, handsome man with sharp features and calm eyes stared back at me. A face that could make plenty of women forget about healthy life standards.
Yeah. That was me.
Hehe.
[Mission Updated]
[Main Mission: Kill all demons]
[Time Limit: None]
[Reward: ???]
New text appeared quickly.
A bit surprising, but not enough to make me panic.
This environment… this body…
And what was written on the screen—
I was inside the game world I used to play.
This… is insane.
Seriously.
Couldn't I have been transferred here at some other time?
Why did it have to be right after I died, and straight into this place?
Whoever brought me here… couldn't they at least give me a briefing?
Or do they not even know how?
Huhhh…
Well, whatever. What's past is past.
For now, let's check the character status.
If I remember correctly… just tap the top-right corner.
Click.
The system window shifted.
Line after line of info appeared.
[Name: Zhartama]
[Title: Demon Slayer]
[Level: 999]
[STR: 100 (999)]
[DEX: 100 (999)]
[VIT: 100 (999)]
[INT: 100 (999)]
[WIS: 100 (999)]
[MP: 100 (999)]
[Note: Due to ??? caused by ???, status has been temporarily reduced and will recover over time.]
What the hell does that mean?
What's with the '???'?
Did the transfer process mess something up?
Or… is something suppressing my power?
Wait, that means…
I quickly tapped another icon in the top-right to view my skill list.
The screen switched to display my abilities.
"…"
"Huh… nice. Everything's still here."
My eyes went to the top three—the core skills I used most often.
First: Judgement Protocol.
This boosts damage against demon-type entities by +1000%. Right now? Still locked at +100%—a side effect of the temporary status reduction. Still, this was the foundation of my "Demon Slayer" title.
Second: Faithforged Core.
A source of power born from personal belief. Belief—not doctrine. As long as I believe… I can cut.
As long as my conviction doesn't waver—the holy power will always be at my fingertips.
Third: Curseborne Throne.
An inheritance from the Curse King.
This skill can be used in three ways:
A contract with a cursed entity.
A curse that produces various effects depending on the ritual used.
And the Curse Language—a tongue that can forcefully move the power of nature, creating phenomena based on the words spoken.
Everything was intact.
After checking my skills, I opened my storage.
The screen shifted again.
All my old items were still there: several outfits, oddly styled hats, masks, various weapons… and one pouch.
Marigold flower seeds.
"…Thought these were gone."
I stared at them for a moment.
I'll plant them later—when I pass through the southern region.
I scrolled through the weapons list, and my gaze stopped on one thing.
A katana.
Its design was plain. No symbols. No engravings. No flashy effects.
Just a blade.
I pulled it from storage. But when I tried to lift it with one hand…
…I couldn't.
It was heavy.
I'd gotten this katana from a major historical event on the eastern continent.
The relic of a samurai who was also a war hero from one of that continent's nations.
Its name: Kōjin.
"Looks like we'll be traveling together again for a long while."
I said as I gripped the hilt with both hands.
The blade's sheen was just as I remembered.
Calm, almost without reflection. But sharp—like it carried the weight of history's wounds in silence.
Alright.
Enough nostalgia—my left hand's starting to ache. Better put it away for now. After all, I only got this katana after reaching level 600.
Since I've checked most of my status, it's time to find a town.
After wandering lost in the forest for over two days, I could finally conclude this place wasn't far from one of the six starter towns.
The monsters here were only level 1 to 10. This forest was clearly a safe zone for new players.
The question was… out of the six towns, which one was I heading toward?
Being stuck in a forest like this, forced to eat bland meat that didn't suit my tongue—one that was used to full spices and perfect broth every day—was torture.
It shouldn't be much farther now.
A few hours later, I finally found a wide road that merchants usually used to reach the city. Relatively clean, packed earth, with fresh wheel tracks.
Still… better to stay cautious.
The flesh on my body began to shift.
This body wasn't that of an ordinary human. My face could change too. Now, with a shorter height, slightly messy blond hair, and dark brown eyes, I looked like a typical young traveler. The signature black outfit of a Demon Slayer had been stored away, replaced with casual clothes common in beginner areas.
This ability… I'd gotten it from a hidden event—the Doppelgänger's Cave.
Back then, I could have joined the main event like the other players, but I was far more interested in hunting for hidden ones. Usually, hidden events appeared between major events, and only a handful of people ever found them.
Out of thousands of players… only four ever did. I was one of them.
I earned this ability after killing a monster known as the "Thousand Faces."
A weak monster, but with incredible disguises—even high-level magic struggled to tell them apart from real humans. Unfortunately for it, it chose the wrong opponent. I burned down the entire cave it was hiding in.
Just remembering it made the corners of my mouth twitch upward.
Before long, the sound of cart wheels came from the west. An elderly merchant with a friendly expression slowed his horse when he saw me.
"Young man, need a ride? We're headed to the city. Still have some room inside," he said, squinting slightly.
Then he pressed his thumb and index finger together—a universal sign for: "But, you know…"
"Haha… of course. Thank you for the offer, that's a big help," I replied, handing over a few coins.
I climbed into the cart.
Inside, there were three people: one young man and two women. From the looks of it, the man and one of the women knew each other—probably a couple. The other woman sat a bit apart, likely not part of their group.
I just sat quietly, saying nothing. They weren't the ones offering the ride, so there was no need to make small talk.
What mattered now was the city.
Once I arrived, I'd gather information and—of course—get some real food.
As for money? That was the least of my worries.
I was rich now.
The entire balance from my game account—the one I never got to spend before the world collapsed—was still safely intact, even after all this time.
Roughly calculated, it was enough to fund the operations of an entire kingdom… for ten years.
I could hardly wait to get to the city.
…
A knock came from the front of the cart, followed by the merchant's shout.
"Listen up, everyone… the city walls are in sight!"
Hearing that, I instinctively pulled open the rear curtain. The other three passengers peeked out as well.
To the left, towering high—the city walls loomed under a dreary sky, smoke billowing from the brick chimneys that dotted the skyline.
One glance, and I knew immediately.
This was Novaria.
One of the six starter cities. And also the location of a very famous hidden quest: The Dragonbone Smith.
It didn't take long before the cart wheels rolled to a stop before the main gate.
The spear-wielding guards halted the merchant for inspection. A few brief words were exchanged, and then… copper coins changed hands. Smooth. Precise. Without raising a single eyebrow.
It was routine. Bribes like this… were normal in cities like this.
I had hoped this world would be different from the one I came from.
Turns out—it wasn't.
Once inside, the atmosphere shifted immediately.
A mother and her young child strolled leisurely.
An office worker dashed by with bread in hand, clearly late for work.
Elderly men sat along the roadside, basking in the sun.
A bakery clerk bustled about, arranging loaves—the scent of flour and butter filling the air.
This city… this city was so alive.
Before I realized it, my lips murmured:
"Beautiful."
…
After parting ways with the group, I decided to take care of the most important matter first:
Filling my stomach.
I chose a modest eatery near the east alley. The aroma of soup and smoked meat hit me the moment I stepped inside.
"I'll take every item on the menu. Large portions."
The young waitress froze for a moment, then quickly jotted the order without asking questions. She probably thought I was some eccentric noble… or a foreigner with a heavy purse.
Before long, the table was covered with bowls and plates.
I ate quickly—ravenous, yet efficient.
Delicious. Though… a bit lacking in salt.
Once satisfied, I leaned back in my chair, patted my stomach, and stared at the tavern's wooden ceiling.
Today was December 29th, 1299.
Two more days until the year turned—and until all the major in-game events began officially.
One of them: The Dragonbone Smith—which originally could only be accessed on January 1st, 1300.
Technically, I could start now. This wasn't a game anymore. But… after thinking it over, I decided not to rush. Better to follow the timing.
The corners of my mouth curled slightly.
Let's start the hunt tonight.