The Sole Heir of a Ruined World – Episode 2
Shunk!
Hankyul felt the blade pierce through his neck. The rusty, jagged dagger tore through his flesh like a saw, grinding painfully. He felt death creeping toward him as his consciousness began to fade.
“…Huh?”
But he didn’t die.
Hankyul reached up with trembling hands and touched his neck. There was no wound.
Had he imagined his own death?
No. It was real. His clothes were soaked in blood, the fabric torn where the dagger had pierced him.
Keeruk?
The goblin stared at him, just as confused. The human it thought was dead was somehow still standing.
Kieeeek!
Its hesitation lasted only a second. It lunged again, stabbing wildly.
Shunk. Shunk!
The dagger sank deep into flesh, scraped bone, and twisted inside him— and still, Hankyul didn’t die.
He wasn’t just alive. He was completely fine.
Why?
Before the thought could fully form, the system answered:
「In the ‘world,’ all status ailments are cured, and all injuries are healed.」
Hankyul blinked. The goblin kept stabbing, but the wounds closed as soon as they formed.
Even fatal injuries— even a dagger through his heart— meant nothing here.
“…Ha.”
As realization dawned, fear drained from his body. He stood still, the blade tearing through him again and again.
It didn’t matter. None of it mattered anymore.
“I can’t die, after all.”
The goblin—once terrifying—was no longer a threat.
Just noise. Just pain.
Pain that meant nothing.
To others, Hankyul might have looked insane, standing there, letting himself be stabbed. But to him, it was simple.
He was unkillable.
Thud.
Hankyul caught the goblin’s wrist as it stabbed again. The blade tore through his palm, blood dripping— but the wound healed instantly.
Kieeeek!
The goblin screamed in alarm, trying to pull away. But Hankyul’s grip didn’t loosen. He stared into the goblin’s eyes.
Calm. Cold.
Then, with his other hand, he grabbed the goblin’s throat.
Crunch.
It squirmed and kicked, desperate to escape.
The moment it dropped the dagger, Hankyul picked it up— and shoved it straight into the creature’s eye.
「You have defeated a ‘Corrupted Scout Goblin.’」
The goblin fell limp in his hand and crumbled into smoke.
Was it over?
Not quite.
「You have obtained a Red Mana Stone.」
「Defeating the ‘Corrupted Scout Goblin’ increases your mana by 1.」
A warm sensation spread through Hankyul’s body. Where the goblin had fallen, a small glowing red stone formed in its place.
「Next invasion begins in 30 minutes.」
So the battle wasn’t over. More would come.
Soon.
The dagger had already vanished, fading with the goblin’s corpse.
Hankyul clenched his fists.
He needed time.
He needed to understand.
Thirty minutes later.
「You have defeated a ‘Corrupted Scout Goblin.’」
「You have defeated a ‘Corrupted Scout Goblin.’」
「You have defeated a ‘Corrupted Goblin Squad Leader.’」
Five more waves had passed. Five more invasions survived. And every time, he fought barehanded.
He had been stabbed, slashed, crushed— but never broken.
The enemies got stronger. The numbers grew. And eventually, a Squad Leader Goblin appeared.
It ignored Hankyul completely— and went straight for the stump.
The one thing that could kill him.
That was when Hankyul realized:
“I can’t let that thing fall.”
He tackled the Squad Leader, fought tooth and nail— and won.
His reward?
「Red Mana Stone x7」
「Orange Mana Stone x1」
「Cracked Longsword x1」
And 17 mana points total.
“Red mana stones used to go for 100,000 won each, right?”
After the world changed, mana stones became the new energy source.
Oil and coal were relics of the past.
Everything now ran on mana.
Red. Orange. Yellow. Each one more valuable than the last. Hankyul looked down at the glowing stones in his palm.
If he could sell these… No more convenience store.
「Next invasion begins in 3 hours.」
More time to prepare— but stronger enemies would come.
He would need better weapons. More mana.
A plan.
“But first…”
Hankyul approached the stump.
「‘OOOOO’s Stump.」
You can use 100 mana to grow a sprout.
The stump was massive, like the base of a tree that had once scraped the sky.
「Mana stones can be converted into mana.」
Red = 100 mana. Orange = 200 mana.
「If you grow a sprout, something good might happen.」
Hankyul placed a red stone on the stump.
“I don’t need the money right now.”
He had legs. He had strength. He could work again if needed.
「You have converted a Red Mana Stone into 100 mana.」
「Do you wish to use 100 mana to grow a sprout?」
He confirmed.
「100 mana has been consumed.」
「A sprout will grow in 1 hour.」
An hour, then.
Clutching the remaining stones, Hankyul left the ‘world’ and returned to reality.
The smell hit him the moment he reappeared.
Stale. Musty.
Years of not being able to clean, not being able to move— it all lingered in the air.
He looked around the tiny room.
Then down at his legs.
Still strong.
Still his.
Clink.
He pocketed the mana stones and headed out to do something he hadn’t done in years.
Splash!
Hankyul stepped into the hot bath at a local spa. He let out a long, quiet sigh.
“Ah… this feels good.”
Soaking in warm water… something he thought he’d never do again.
Splash, splash!
The sound of children laughing nearby.
He opened his eyes. Two boys were playing in the water.
“Jung Hyunmin! Jung Jihu!”
A man called out—likely their father.
“I’m sorry,” he said to Hankyul, bowing slightly, then turned to scold the boys.
“I told you not to play around!”
“But he splashed me first!”
“You stuck your tongue out at me!”
Watching the little family bicker, Hankyul scratched his chin.
“It didn’t bother me, though.”
“Come here,” the man said, “I’ll scrub your backs.”
“Does that feel good?”
“No! It hurts!”
“Haha.”
That voice.
That laugh.
A memory stabbed through his chest.
Throb.
Pain pulsed behind his eyes.
He stood up quickly, as if shaking it off.
Outside the spa, the boys were running barefoot.
Jung Jihu bumped into Hankyul.
“Ouch!”
The boy looked up, eyes big and teary.
Their father rushed over.
“I’m so sorry! Jihu, I told you not to run!”
“It’s fine,” Hankyul said softly.
“I should’ve watched him better. I’m really sorry.”
Hankyul looked down at the boy.
“Listen to your father,” he said quietly.
“You’ll regret it if you don’t.”
Even as he said it, he wondered why.
Maybe…
because he still regretted it himself.
He turned and walked away.
「A sprout has grown!」
The system message glowed in his vision.
To be continued…
