TDWAD 01

Chapter 1

[Checking configuration settings.]

[Appearance – ‘Handsome (500P)’, ‘Muscular Build (200P)’, ‘Tall Height (200P)’, ‘Dark Brown Eyes (0P)’, ‘Black Hair (0P)’…]

[Total: 900P will be used. Apply these settings? Y/N]

‘Do it.’

A strange sensation washed over him.

He was observing the formation of his own appearance from a third-person perspective.

A physique suited for combat, looks that would be advantageous in human society.

He spent just a small portion of points on appearance, saving as much as he could elsewhere.

There was no way he’d waste precious points on mere visuals.

Still, thanks to careful planning, a fairly charismatic appearance took shape.

[Please set your ‘Stats’.]

• Strength

• Stamina

• Agility

• Regeneration

……

……

‘Can’t have anything falling below standard.’

First, he set all the long-listed basic stats to 5.

[Total: 1,800P will be used. Apply these settings? Y/N]

‘Apply.’

Stats range from 0 to 25.

Unlike a game, you can’t redistribute stat points later.

Early Awakeners, who raised stats recklessly or just for survival, had to weep in regret.

But now, with all the accumulated data—

And results from specialized research institutions—

The conclusion was that most stat builds were not just unbalanced, but utterly broken.

From this came the concept of the so-called “Tier 1 stats,” those with the best efficiency.

‘Regeneration, Resistance, Combat Sense, Detection, and Luck.’

The higher these Tier 1 stats, the better.

He raised all of them to 20.

[Total: 22,500P will be used. Apply these settings? Y/N]

Next were the efficient Tier 2 stats.

After much trial and error, Awakeners figured out optimal distributions.

[Strength – 17, Stamina – 16, Agility – 18, Combat Skill – 19, Intuition – 15]

[Total: 15,000P will be used. Apply these settings? Y/N]

This much was common knowledge.

Even an E-rank Hunter, if they Awakened late in the timeline, could optimize their stats perfectly.

However, there was one hidden element that had never been revealed—not in any of the first 12 regressions.

‘At least within the Korean Peninsula, it was only the 4th round regressor who reached this point.’

The 4th round had nearly succeeded, leaving behind great regret—and was the main reason they hadn’t abandoned the regression card.

It was during that round that the overpowered nature of a stat called “Potential,” classified as Tier 5, was discovered.

Potential was a stat that promoted the growth of other stats, but it had always been neglected.

‘They used to say it was more efficient to level up from Tier 1 to 3 rather than waste anything on growth rates… That’s a normal way of thinking.’

[Potential – 24]

[Total: 18,500P will be used. Apply these settings? Y/N]

But the regressor in the 4th round had made the insane decision to invest in a discarded stat.

‘Apply.’

[Potential – 25]

[15,000P will be used. Apply these settings? Y/N]

That cursed 25 mark, requiring nearly all the points spent so far just for a single point increase.

No one had ever bothered to attempt it.

And yet—

‘Pay it.’

[Potential has reached its maximum value.]

[Achievement Unlocked! “Full Bloom of Potential.”]

He became the only Awakened to place a flag on this hidden achievement with a completion rate of 0.000006944%.

‘Well, one of two now.’

[Achievement Rewards granted.]

• All stats +1

• Stat cap increased from 25 → 30

• A new ‘Trait’ has bloomed

[Limit Break (Beyond Rank)]: In moments of extreme crisis, all stats are temporarily +1. Stat caps do not apply.

‘A trait that can’t be ranked. It works like an E-rank for E-class, and S-rank for S-class—tailored per user.’

There was nothing more to adjust.

[Remaining Points: 926,400P]

‘Cutting it close…’

He mustn’t forget to manage his points.

Keeping that in mind, he moved on.

Suddenly, every existing skill and trait icon appeared at once, surrounding him.

Like stars forming a galaxy.

[Please set your ‘Skills’.]

[Please set your ‘Traits’.]

To any Awakened, this was a breathtaking sight.

An endless list sorted from top to bottom by rank.

Strong skills and traits that everyone craned their necks to dream about.

But he paid them no attention.

He didn’t even glance their way.

He had only two criteria for choosing skills:

‘Their acquisition requirements must be near impossible. Their usefulness must be unlimited.’

[Guardian’s Sword (E) – 100P]
[Great Library of Memories (B) – 4,500P]
[Toy Repairman’s Tool Belt (S) – 66,666P]

Next were the traits.

He looked at only one.

At the top stood [Extinction of Flames], a trait of the “Flame Demon Emperor,” hailed as the strongest regressor.

Above that was [Excellent Insight] from the wise “Grand Chancellor,” who always pointed to the right path.

Even [Power of Repetition], belonging to the “9th round regressor” who had learned like a copy machine and performed as well as any regressor, was visible high up.

But none of them were as tempting as this one.

‘…The only Awakened who survived in every round. He even managed to escape the Korean Peninsula alive once.’

People called him the “King of Survival,” and his intuition for choosing positions was unmatched.

[Chilling Premonition (A) – 12,000P]
[Killing Intent Detection (A) – 15,000P]
[Underworld Escape Compass (A) – 20,000P]

He had already burned the bridge behind him.

There was no trait with greater value than one that had been proven a dozen times over.

[Total: 118,266P will be used. Apply these settings? Y/N]

‘Apply.’

A perfect combination was now in one basket.

This was one of the main reasons he had to start with a new character.

And then—

[Please set your ‘Character Name’.]

A page opened in his mind.

A mixture of floating consonants and vowels.

He broke them down and formed a name.

[Last Name: Hyun]
[First Name: Doyun]
[Verifying suitability… Not in violation of policy.]

[Name is available. Apply this name? Y/N]

‘This is fine.’

Next came personal and background settings for the character.

These weren’t especially important.

All that mattered was saving points.

[Residence – Seoul, South Korea (0P)]
[Upbringing – Grew up in an orphanage, became independent as an adult (0P)]
[Family – None (0P)]
[Connections – Orphanage director (0P), High school friend (0P), Part-time coworker (0P), Orphanage junior (0P)…]

[Major Experience – High school graduate (0P), Years of part-time experience (0P)]

……

……

Considering what lay ahead, being completely alone might be a strength.

Getting this all for 0P felt like saving points.

[Please set the ‘Starting Time’.
*Warning! Once set, it cannot be canceled or changed.]

He glanced at his remaining points.

[Remaining Points: 808,134P]

The furthest back he could go in time…

[Set to: 8 years and 29 days ago – May 26, 2017.]

[Total: 808,100P will be used. Apply this setting? Y/N]

‘Let’s begin.’

With a flash, the entire space was flooded in white.

Faint images of Jimo and Pungbaek flashed by—

Craaaack—

A pain surged from deep within his soul, as if sacred roots were being torn out.

[‘Divinity’ has been damaged.]
[‘True Name’ has been lost.]
[Manifesting in a human body.]
[New Character ‘Hyun Doyun’ will be generated in 3… 2… 1…]

A musty smell.

Mold spreading in the ceiling corners.

Walls close enough to suffocate.

‘Looks like the generation worked properly.’

The moment he realized he was crouched in a cramped one-room apartment, he grabbed the smartphone beside the bed.

[May 26, 2017]

“Time and space match.”

His mind was not only intact but crystal clear. His human body felt surprisingly comfortable.

‘The air pressing heavily, the shackle-like weight of a body… this is it?’

It must’ve dulled due to the damage to his divinity.

He never imagined the phrase “life is suffering” would hit so hard.

“Status window.”

• Name: Hyun Doyun

• (True Name: Nameless Descender)

• Rank: Player

• Grade: B (VVIP Tip: Balance your stats to rank up. Learn combat skills.)

• Points Remaining: 34P

• Stats: (Details)

• Skills: (3 skills owned)

• Traits: (4 traits owned)

• Achievements: (1 achievement unlocked)

• (Some functions are locked.)

• (Some functions are locked.)

• (VIP features locked.)

• (VVIP features locked.)

“Character looks fine. Now I’m… no, I’ve entered as Hyun Doyun in the 13th round.”

There was a moment of sudden speechlessness, as if someone had hit the mute button on a remote.

“Huh? …! …! What’s going on?”

He strained to recall.

Waves of memories surged through.

‘Who am I? This country’s guardian deity. Then my name is…?’

That’s where the thought cut off.

No answer. Not even a single clue surfaced.

Doyun gave a bitter smile.

At this rate, he really was no different from a human.

‘Well, I was prepared for this.’

Bzzzzzz.

Suddenly, the phone vibrated.

A call was coming in.

[Convenience Store Owner]

“Hello?”

– Hey, Doyun. We’re out of Corn-X Chips in the back. What’s up with that?

‘Must be the employer set in my background.’

He had nothing to say.

Hyun Doyun had never actually existed.

His administrative records, others’ memories of him—all implanted or altered by the System.

Of course he had no idea what happened during work or why the boss was upset.

“What’s the issue?”

– What the—“What’s the issue”? Are you out of your damn mind?

The boss let out a sigh of disbelief.

– I told you—those Corn-X Chips are reserved. Not for sale to customers. Don’t you remember?

“Did you?”

– Talking back, huh? If you won’t listen, why work for me?

– You know what? Just take a permanent vacation starting today. I’ll find someone else.

“Suit yourself.”

– What? You little—Hyun Doyun, you bastard!

Click.

He was going to quit anyway.

No time to waste on part-time jobs.

He had invested in only the most necessary stats, skills, and traits.

Scraped together every last point to generate this character on this exact date.

‘The day the first Gate appears.’

He had to move.

Not a single minute or second could be wasted.

A split second would determine everything.

[2:30 PM]

“Damn, cutting it close.”

Doyun bolted out of the house and hailed a cab.

“Take me to Pocheon City. As fast as you can.”