The Tower System was not friendly. For example, take the Middle Qigong. It wasn’t over just because the system opened it. Until he met Vargas, Yoon-seok couldn’t even feel the existence of Natural Energy at all, let alone move it.
Just because the system’s restrictions had been lifted didn’t mean anything could be done about it. You had to spend time trying to see, experience, and study it for yourself so that you could use it as if it were your own.
{Death God}
Rank A – Seeing death and dealing with death.
So Yoon-seok died and died over and over again. He thought this was the correct way to use infinite regression. However…
— 9,999 times? That’s funny. How many times have you died? You crazy bastard!
It wasn’t like that. Even after repeating ten thousand times, nothing had changed. Maybe it was a matter of course.
[You died.]
Even though the System stated that he was dead.
[The Old Pocket Watch (Rank S+) returns the owner to 5 minutes ago.]
In the end, it was just a process of turning back time. This wasn’t real death.
—Just die! It’s over when you just die, so why are you doing this!
So he decided to die, as Dracar said. Rather than simply turning back time, Yoon-seok decided to crawl into the abyss and face what he had been searching for. This was a journey for the exhausted mind to seek shelter…
It would be his last struggle.
“Then, please.”
“I don’t know why you asked me to do that, but… I will do as you say.”
Yoon-seok, having reaffirmed the promise with Dracar, held the Pocket Watch in his left hand. His other hand was moving slowly.
[Due to the Lady’s Commandment, all healing and regeneration effects in the area are halted.]
With this, he was ready to die. Yoon-seok closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Thump! Thump!
His heart was pounding like crazy. His trembling hands were filled with regret. He instinctively felt that it would become more difficult the longer it took. He had already made up his mind, but he had something to hesitate about.
Puck!
Yoon-seok shoved his hand into his chest. And after going through the flesh and bone, he grabbed his heart.
Crush-!
He ripped it open. Blood gathered inside, and small pieces of crushed meat were scattered all over the place. Dracar, who was watching next to him, screamed.
“Fuck, crazy!”
Yoon-seok knew what it looked like. However, without going this far, he wouldn’t die easily anymore. Originally, he’d stab a knife into his head as quickly as he could. However, there was no rush this time. Maybe this moment would be his last.
“…”
Yoon-seok closed his eyes. His chest felt cold, and his limbs were numb. Of course, the pain wouldn’t last long. The numbness would soon disappear, and that would begin.
[You suffered damage close to death.]
How long did it take? One minute? More? He wasn’t sure, but b Immortal} was activated.
[All types of regeneration power are increased by 150 times.]
His regenerative power increased. Of course, it was nullified thanks to the Lady’s Commandment, but in the end, nothing changed. However…
[The Forgotten Ones help you.]
The effect of {Immortal} didn’t end there. After reaching A-Rank, they gained the ability to attack his enemies and protect him. There was nothing more annoying than this here.
“W-what is it!”
There was no enemy; Yoon-seok killed himself. Thus, the Forgotten Ones appeared and did nothing. However, as the translucent green light of the skeleton soldiers filled the area, the expedition members freaked out. As always, Cheon-ma, who was at the lead, noticed.
“…What happened?!”
Cheon-ma, sprinting over, carefully lifted Yoon-seok’s fallen head. Her eyes were the same as always as they regarded the dying Yoon-seok. Her dignity as the Heavenly Demon disappeared all of a sudden, and she trembled uncontrollably as if she couldn’t believe what was happening. She had seen it thousands of times already…
But it wasn’t something she got used to.
“I-is it an enemy? Where is it?”
She, always cheerful, lost her sense of reason. Her murderous spirit scattered in search of an invisible enemy, but in the end, she couldn’t find one and lifted Dracar by the collar.
“You, is it you?”
“I-i-it’s not me!”
“Then who the hell is it?”
The air froze around her, chilling the air in their lungs. Dracar, about to explain the situation, couldn’t say anything. And when that happened-
[The invulnerable period has been lifted.」
Immortality lifted. Then, Yoon-seok barely opened his mouth.
“I’m o-okay… cough!”
He said he was okay. It wasn’t something to get emotional about. However, those words didn’t reach her ears.
“S-stay still. Elixir! Doesn’t anyone have an elixir? Potion! Remedy! Elixir! Whatever the name is, give it to me!”
The expedition members search through their bags one by one and take out various items. Their precious items were poured generously over Yoon-seok’s body. However, as long as the Lady’s Commandment remained, it was only poison to him. This was the end that Yoon-seok remembered. If it were just like the original, the moment it was poured, time would go backward with the message that he had died. However…
“Hehehe, hahaha…!”
It wasn’t over yet. Yoon-seok realized real death didn’t come so easily. It was the last paradise after a tough and arduous fight.
“…You must not give up!”
What was that desperate laugh? Cheon-ma clasped Yoon-seok’s cheeks with both hands and shouted. Yoon-seok slowly raised the corners of his lips.
“…I won’t, give up.”
“Yeah, that’s right! That’s how it should be…!”
His eyelids felt so heavy. Cheon-ma was still screaming something in front of him, but her voice grew quieter and quieter. And that moment, his blurred eyes brightened.
Yoon-seok opened his eyes in a hospital.
* * *
—It’s Panic Disorder.
Putting down the pen, the doctor spoke firmly.
—If it gets worse, it may lead to schizophrenia. Even if he is not hospitalized, he must be treated with medication.
At this, his father wore a puzzled expression.
—S-stress? But what that has to do with this little boy…
The doctor carefully answered.
—It’s hard to say this to you, sir, but… most of the children who visit with these symptoms at this age are suffering from school violence.
—…School violence?
—Yes. Have you noticed anything of the sort?
This happened at the hospital he visited when he was in high school. When his father returned home that day, he asked if he was being bullied at school, and Yoon-seok answered: it’s not like that. He said it must be because of the stress from school.
His father didn’t believe the lie. Instead, he believed it was because of the fire at the factory and their debts.
—Your father will take care of it. You don’t have to worry about anything!
It was then that Yoon-seok realized humans were so mysterious that they could feel both relief and despair simultaneously. The scene in front of him changed.
—Why, you of all people! Why do you, who have no roots, look at me like that! Fuck you, you motherfucking bastard!
A hotel room with a view of Seoul. Kang Hyung-woo was screaming on his knees. And soon…
Puck.
Yoon-seok put a sword through his head. His body fell limp to the floor, and the scene ended there.
‘These visions…’
He just died, so why was he looking at this? Perhaps this was his life passing by before death.
—W-what! D-don’t do it! Seriously, please! D-don’t!
He burned Lee Chang-hoon alive.
—Then, would you like a cup of tea?
He met Elle for the first time. Scenes from those memories unfold briefly before him. However, if there was a difference from the phenomenon he knew, it was not in chronological order? Even after receiving power from the Tower and killing hundreds of thousands of people, he returned to his powerless old days. He somehow managed to put up with it and feel the emotions of when he would cry desperately alone.
And thus, it repeated over and over.
“…”
As he watched blankly, Yoon-seok suddenly burst into laughter. Were there any happy memories? It was either killing or stealing something away. It was all struggling to survive. Only such terrible memories.
—T-that person is the devil!
Yoon-seok thought of the day he went to the hospital. If his father noticed his lie, would something have changed?
—How can you do such a thing and laugh!
The invaders began to appear on Earth one day. Was there ever a future where people would stockpile food and tremble in fear? Yoon-seok thought about it. He looked into the fragments of the past that were reproduced countless times and pondered endlessly. Why did he want to live?
—…Why aren’t you breaking down?
—Because I’m still alive.
Why was he able to confidently say such a thing to the desperate Dracar?
—Can’t that be a reason not to try?
Why had he tried so hard to survive thousands and even tens of thousands of deaths? He couldn’t even remember the last time when he laughed because he was genuinely delighted. Was he so obsessed with surviving and becoming strong? Was it because he wanted to save the world from the apocalypse and, if possible, climb to the last floor and create a utopia?
Those were lies. Even if he deceived everyone in the world, he couldn’t deceive himself.
—Am I doing the right thing?
Yoon-seok knew it well. How twisted he had become.
—Go the way you want to go. No matter where the end is headed.
It wasn’t about surviving for a goal. He just needed a goal to survive.
—Which path do you want to go?
That was the reason why he chose the Demon instead of the Buddha. That was the easier and more convenient path. So, Yoon-seok asked again.
Why did he want to live?
‘If I die, it’s over…’
The last destination. In the Tower, he encountered various supernatural powers, learned that God exists, and even learned about his own past life…
After all, that was what Yoon-seok thought of death: losing the future. It devoured all possibilities, whether terrible or happy. That was why it was emptier and made life brighter by comparison. That was why Yoon-seok was obsessed with living.
He might experience more despair and pain in the future, but he might also find the opposite. As the man who gave him the gift of a unique power said the other day.
—You were destined to fail the final ordeal, become a manager, and live happily here with several women.
After all, one day, a future beyond his reach may be waiting for him.
Whooosh.
Or was death just around the corner? The scene didn’t change anymore.
—…You must not give up!
Ending with the most recent memory, which was Cheon-ma’s crying. Suffocating darkness arrived. However, Yoon-seok didn’t give up. He drove himself to death but had come all the way here to live.
“…”
Yoon-seok didn’t run away as he saw the darkness rushing in. He stretched his hand forward. The last thing he saw was…
Whoosh-!
The darkness was swaying as if dancing.
[You died.]
A single ray of light permeated through the gap.
“Damn it! I was told that I must do it after he died…”
“I will pluck out both your eyes first.”
“I-I got it!”
Hearing the quarrel between Dracar and Cheon-ma, Yoon-seok raised the corners of his lips faintly.
[The Old Pocket Watch (Rank S+) returns the owner to 5 minutes ago.]
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