The mountain air carried a chill that cut deeper than Seoul's autumn wind. Crickets sang under a violet sky as the twin moons rose, illuminating the forest path. Kim Taehun followed closely behind Yue Rin, who walked with the kind of grace only someone raised in a fantasy world could have.
He, on the other hand, was wheezing.
"Do… all cultivators… do this much cardio?" he gasped, hunched over.
Yue Rin turned, her expression perfectly deadpan. "We are walking."
"Yeah, but uphill!" Taehun pointed dramatically toward the ascending slope. "You call this walking? In my world, this is hiking—with regrets!"
Her lips twitched—just a little. "You talk too much, mortal."
"Habit," he said, catching his breath. "Talking helps me not think about how much my legs hate me right now."
The forest finally opened to a breathtaking view: a village nestled beneath glowing waterfalls, where floating lanterns drifted like fireflies. Stone paths curved around ancient trees, and houses built into cliffs glowed softly with qi-powered crystals.
"Whoa…" Taehun whispered. "Did I just walk into a Studio Ghibli movie?"
"This is the Azure Moon Outer Village," Yue Rin said, her tone still formal but less cold. "It houses low-ranked disciples and servants who serve the sect."
"Servants? Wait, do I look like servant material to you?"
She gave him a long look. "Yes."
"…Fair."
They approached a wooden gate guarded by two disciples. The guards' blue robes shimmered faintly with embedded talismans, and their eyes narrowed as they spotted him.
"Outer Disciple Yue Rin," one said. "Who is this mortal? The forest is forbidden to outsiders."
Yue Rin bowed slightly. "He was caught near the boundary. A demonic beast attacked. He assisted me in slaying it."
"Assisted?" The guard's brows lifted skeptically. "A mortal?"
Taehun raised a hand. "Technically, I hit it with a stick. It was a very emotional moment."
The guard stared blankly. Yue Rin sighed. "He will stay temporarily. I will report to Elder Mo personally."
The guards exchanged glances but didn't argue. One stepped aside. "You are responsible for him, Yue Rin."
"Understood."
As they entered, Taehun whispered, "So… who's this Elder Mo? The boss?"
She nodded. "Elder Mo oversees new disciples and outer sect affairs. You will speak respectfully."
Taehun gulped. "Got it. Respectful. No jokes. No sarcasm. No—wait, that's like 90% of my personality."
The sect's inner courtyard was alive with activity—disciples meditating, sparring, or sweeping courtyards with almost religious dedication. The air itself shimmered faintly with spiritual energy.
Taehun watched in awe. "So this is a cultivation sect, huh…? Looks like Hogwarts but everyone's on protein powder."
Yue Rin ignored him, leading him up marble steps to a pagoda surrounded by lotus ponds. Inside, an old man sat cross-legged on a raised platform, his long white beard flowing like silk. His eyes opened as they entered—calm, ancient, piercing.
"Disciple Yue Rin," the elder said softly, "you return late."
Yue Rin knelt. "Forgive me, Elder Mo. A demonic beast appeared near the eastern forest. This mortal… helped me survive."
Elder Mo's gaze shifted to Taehun. The young man felt a sudden weight pressing on his chest, like the air itself was judging him.
"Hmm…" the elder murmured. "A mortal who slays a demon beast? Tell me, child, what is your name?"
"Kim Taehun," he said, bowing awkwardly. "Uh, Your Elderness."
The old man's brows furrowed slightly. "Your… what?"
"Sorry. Habit."
Yue Rin facepalmed silently.
Elder Mo studied him for a long moment. Then, to Taehun's surprise, he smiled faintly. "There is something peculiar about your soul."
> [System Alert: Soul Signature Detected – Unknown Parameter 'Re-Life Code' active.]
Taehun flinched as the faint blue screen flickered in the corner of his vision. Not now, he thought desperately.
Elder Mo's eyes narrowed slightly, as if sensing something hidden. "You are not of this world, are you?"
Taehun froze. His mind raced. Should he lie? Tell the truth? Pretend he's an amnesiac?
"I, uh…" he began, but the System interrupted.
> [Auto-Response Protocol Engaged.]
[Answer Generated: "I don't remember."]
Taehun blinked. "I… don't remember."
The elder's eyes softened. "Amnesia, then. The heavens are mysterious indeed."
Yue Rin glanced at him, suspicious, but said nothing.
Elder Mo stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Very well. Since you saved one of my disciples, I shall not cast you out. You may remain in the outer quarters as a servant—or perhaps…"
He paused.
"…as a prospective disciple, should fate deem you worthy."
Taehun's eyes widened. "Wait—like… an actual cultivator? With swords and qi blasts and cool poses?"
Elder Mo smiled faintly. "If your spirit endures the test."
> [New Quest: "Trial of Spirit"]
[Objective: Pass the Azure Moon Sect's Entry Test.]
[Reward: Beginner Cultivation Technique + 20 System Points.]
Taehun's heart pounded. "I'll do it."
The elder nodded. "Tomorrow, at dawn. Yue Rin will guide you."
That night, Taehun sat outside a small hut the sect had provided. A faint glow from his System panel illuminated his face.
> [System Operational: 6%]
[Available Quests: 1]
[Status: Mortal – Body Purification 0%]
He sighed. "Zero cultivation, no money, surrounded by kung-fu geniuses. Great start, Taehun."
> [Suggestion: Begin meditation.]
"Yeah, I guess that's how these things work."
He sat cross-legged and tried to imitate what he'd seen Yue Rin do earlier. Deep breath in. Deep breath out. Focus on… something? Energy? Spirit?
Minutes passed. Then—something flickered. A warmth spread through his chest, faint but real, like a candle flickering to life in the dark.
> [Qi Detected. Body Purification: 1%.]
His eyes flew open. "No way… it actually worked?"
He laughed softly, disbelief mixing with joy. For the first time in years, he felt… hopeful.
"Alright," he said, grinning. "Let's do this. Re-Life begins now."
The Next Morning
The training field was a wide stone plaza overlooking the mountains. Dozens of young disciples gathered, whispering among themselves as Elder Mo and a few instructors observed.
"Who's that mortal beside Yue Rin?" one girl whispered.
"Probably another pity case," a boy snorted. "He'll fail before the incense burns out."
Yue Rin glanced at Taehun. "Don't embarrass yourself."
He grinned. "You're worried about me. That's cute."
She rolled her eyes. "I'm worried about having to explain your corpse."
"Details, details."
The elder raised his hand, and silence fell. "Today, one outsider shall attempt the Trial of Spirit. Should he succeed, he will be granted the title of Outer Disciple."
He gestured toward a circular platform surrounded by glowing talismans. "Step forth, Kim Taehun."
Taehun took a deep breath and stepped onto the platform. As soon as his foot touched the circle, light flared around him.
> [Trial Commencing: Measure of Spirit.]
The world shifted. He stood suddenly in a dark void, facing… himself.
A shadow—identical in form but darker, eyes glowing crimson.
"So," the shadow said, smirking. "You think you can start over? You couldn't even handle one heartbreak."
Taehun clenched his fists. "That was then."
"You begged for death."
"Yeah," he whispered. "But now I've got a second chance. And I'm not wasting it."
The shadow lunged.
Their fists met. Light and darkness clashed. Every regret, every failure, every "I'm not good enough" surged up—only to burn away in the fire of something new.
> [Spirit Resonance: Stable.]
[Trial Success: 78% Harmony.]
The void shattered. Taehun gasped as he found himself back on the platform. Elder Mo's eyes were wide with surprise.
"The circle recognized him…" he murmured. "His spirit is unusually balanced for a mortal."
Yue Rin's brows furrowed. "Balanced?"
Elder Mo nodded. "As if he has lived… more than one life."
Taehun rubbed his chest, where faint light still glowed. "Did I pass?"
Elder Mo smiled. "You did."
> [Quest Complete: Trial of Spirit.]
[Reward Acquired: Basic Cultivation Technique – 'Moon Breathing.']
[System Progress: 5% → 9%.]
A translucent scroll appeared before him, its runes shimmering.
"Cool," he said softly. "I'm officially a cultivator… Kim Taehun, the Refund Seeker."
Yue Rin crossed her arms. "That title still sounds stupid."
He grinned. "Then you can call me Master Refund when I surpass you."
Her eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't survive a sparring session."
"Wanna bet?"
As the twin moons glowed overhead and the sect buzzed with whispers about the strange new disciple, the System hummed quietly in his mind—calculating, evolving.
Somewhere deep within, a line of text appeared briefly before fading into the digital ether:
> [Hidden Path Initiated: Re-Life Route A – "The Heaven Refund Protocol."]
And for the first time, Kim Taehun didn't just believe in second chances—
He was living one.