TDWAD 00

Chapter 00

Prologue

Republic of Korea.

A nation whose territory consists of the Korean Peninsula and its adjacent islands, with a population of approximately 51 million.

Not only did it miraculously rebuild itself from the ashes of war,

But it also wisely overcame an interdimensional invasion that struck fifty years later—becoming a leading nation in the Great Hunter Era.

– Our descendants are the best! So beautiful I could cry!
– I can’t believe the three of us pulled this off. Still feels surreal.
– Don’t try to ride the coattails! My investment in <National Fortune> and <Talents> paid off big time.
– Give it a rest. Anyone would think you were against it in the first place.
– Hoho, why the bickering on such a wonderful day?

With pride that made even the Baekdu-daegan mountain range stir,

The three guardian deities who protected the Korean Peninsula believed this upward trajectory would last forever.

But it didn’t take long to realize…

That this was just the pause at the peak of a rollercoaster.

<BREAKING NEWS!! – ‘Republic of Korea’ faces national annihilation! Entire population dead!>
<BREAKING NEWS!! – ‘Republic of Korea’ fails to conquer the ‘Tower of Transcendence’! Entire population dead!>
<BVC News: ……With this, Korea is expected to be recorded as the first nation annihilated by a ‘Transcendent of the Tower.’>

Was this what it felt like to get clubbed in the back of the head by Thor’s hammer?

– Truly futile…
– We’ve got to give them another chance. The luck was just terrible this time.

The guardian deities pooled their powers and turned back time—8 years into the past.

After all, weren’t their descendants admirable?

With their potential, surely they wouldn’t fail a second time.

<Breaking News! Korea submerged beneath the sea>
<Colin J. Harper, Captain of the USS Nevada: “By the time we dove in, every city had already been reduced to rubble by quakes and tsunamis….”>

– Hahahaha, is it really a calamity-class monster coming from there?
– This won’t do. Send in a ‘regressor.’
– Good idea. They’ve seen the future, so they can show our descendants the answers.

<‘Republic of Korea’ erased from the map by a blinding flash>

– Joint Investigation Team Final Report
Cause of Annihilation: The Release of a ‘Primordial Being’
Danger Level: ‘Cataclysmic’
Countermeasures: ‘None’

– We clearly picked the wrong candidate. Let’s swap them out and try again.

<Round 4>
– Felt promising… Wanna try one more time?

<Round 5>
– What the hell… this is so meaningless.
– A painful lesson, indeed.
– This time, follow my plan. We need to change the regression point.

<Round 6>
– The timing’s not the issue. Why not send multiple people this time?

– …That’s the 10th failure. Hey, maybe it’s time to give up?
– It’s too soon to quit. We’ve got a stronger card left. It’s expensive, though.
– Huh…?
– Let’s use the memories of surviving national crises. Entrust it to the battle-hardened ‘reincarnators.’

<‘Republic of Korea’ exiled! Korean Peninsula lifted above the clouds>
<United Earth Federation statement: “The planet ‘Earth’ does not tolerate any actions against the will of the ‘Constellations.’ Korea’s rogue behavior will find no sympathy from the world….”>

– AHAHAHA…! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
– This is outrageous! Isn’t a Watcher intervening directly against the rules?!
– Whatever, let’s cross the line too. Wake up all the reincarnators. I’m gonna…

– List of Interdimensional Travelers (Republic of Korea)

1. ‘Flame Demon Emperor (R)’ – 10,000,000P

2. ‘Chrome Blader (SSS)’ – 7,000,000P

3. ‘Heaven Piercer Magus (SSS)’ – 5,000,000P

4. ‘Barbarian Overlord (SSS)’ – 3,000,000P
   ……

……

[Recall the travelers? Y/N]

[Warning! This choice is irreversible. We are not responsible for any resulting consequences.]

– Not an easy decision, tsk… But we’re out of options too. Summon them all!

<‘Republic of Korea’ erased from existence itself>
<CMN Breaking: Investigations and reporting are proving extremely difficult…>
<BVC News: [Urgent] All records of ‘Korea’—documents, photos, videos, websites—are vanishing in real time!>
<BVC News: [Correction Notice] We apologize for mistakenly broadcasting the previous footage. Please be advised that ‘Republic of Korea’ is a fictional name.>

– …It’s all ruined. We’ve got almost no power left, and we burned through all our points retrieving the returnees.
– It’s over. Let’s pack it up.
– You’re saying we should just tuck our tails and run after 5,000 years of effort and this humiliating erasure?
– You think I want this? I’m boiling inside too! But what else can I do?!
– No… There’s still one final option. A method we haven’t yet tried.
-!?
– That is…

The two guardian deities leaned in, desperate to grasp even a straw.

– Let’s throw in every method we’ve tried so far. Regression, reincarnation, and return—all combined.
– You’re suggesting we regress the reincarnators and returnees?
– Regrettably, that’s impossible.
– Knew you’d say that. We don’t have enough points to even resurrect one body of those guys.
– What? I thought you said you had a way?
– I do. A way to skip the resurrection cost.
– Ah… you mean possession?

The guardian deities half agreed, half skeptical.

– Overlay the soul of the highest grade onto a body from the past… With all the memories of the final round intact, they’ll grow into monsters.
– But so what? That still won’t scratch even a hair off of ■■■.
– Exactly. How can a few possessed ones take on something even we fear? So instead of possession…

The guardian deity’s voice trembled.

– Pungbaek (Wind God), I’m sorry for teasing you as an old fart. I actually learned a lot from you.
– You… why so sentimental all of a sudden?
– And Jimo (Earth Mother), after 5,000 years, I admit it. You were right. <National Fortune> and <Talents> were the best choices.
– W-What the hell are you planning?!
– Busted.

The deity’s lips curled into a gentle smile.

But it was a bitter one.

He inhaled, heavier than the earth itself.

– I’m descending myself. With all the memories of the twelve previous rounds—this will be the thirteenth and final round.
– What… did you just say?
– Say that again. I must have misheard.

The guardian deity said nothing.

– You’re insane. Completely gone. Why… Why would you do this?!

A reproach filled with tears.

Even Pungbaek, though not as emotional as Jimo, couldn’t hide his turmoil.

– Please reconsider. You’re about to walk an irreversible path.
– Listen to Pungbaek! When has the old man ever led us wrong?
– I can’t give up like this. You know why.
– But to destroy your divinity? If you fail again in that state……!
– You two have a job too. You’ll need to wring out your last drop of power and accept being sealed.
– A seal can be undone. But you… you’ll be erased! Let’s just send the possessed ones. It sounds better the more I think about it.
– Even if they seem perfect, they only rely on one lifetime of memory. If they manage to poke a pinhole, that’s already a miracle.
– Haaah… it’s not like we have zero chance, but…
– To break through that barrier, we need this level of commitment. That makes me the only candidate.

The preparations were complete.

Breaking the silence, the guardian deity’s divine voice echoed.

– Then let it begin. The final ‘Round 13.’

[Initiating ‘Data Transfer.’ Remaining Memories: 612,000,000.]
[Progress: ■□□□□□□□□□]
[Progress: ■■□□□□□□□□]
[Progress: ■■□□□□□□□□]

Suddenly, the progress stalled.

[Error! Data overload!]
[Account upgrade required.]
[Upgrade not possible. Additional 98,900,000P needed.]
[Current Points: 1,000,000P]

“Put it on the 360-year subscription.”

[First year free. 277,500P will be deducted each lunar new year thereafter.]
[VVIP account activated….]
[Quota significantly increased.]

It all happened in an instant.

The pain, the struggle, the countless deaths of their proud descendants—

Twelve gut-wrenching failures flashed before his eyes like lightning.

[Progress: ■■■■■■■■■■]
[Transfer complete.]
[Select descent method: 1. Manifestation 2. Reincarnation 3. Fusion 4. Divine Possession.]

As if a choice even existed.

That page was already ripped to shreds.

‘…Create new character.’