Yohan stood rigid in front of his own bedroom door. His heart hammered, blood rushing to his head.
His hands clenched tight, knuckles turning white. That moaning sound—he knew it too well. It was Jenie. His girlfriend.
He'd worked overtime three nights straight, coming home late with his body wrecked, just to scrape together next month's rent. And this was what he got?
"Crash!"
Yohan kicked the door open hard. The hinges nearly tore free, slamming against the wall with a sound that made the two figures on the bed jolt in shock.
A muscular man jumped to his feet, frantically pulling on his pants.
Meanwhile Jenie, the girlfriend he'd been with for two years, yanked the blanket up to cover her naked body. Her face flushed red—shame or anger, he couldn't tell.
"Yo-Yohan! How did you get in?!" Jenie snapped, her voice trembling.
Yohan scoffed, his chest heaving as he held back the rage burning inside. He pointed at them with a shaking hand.
"Do I really need to answer that stupid question? Look at what you're doing in my house, in my room?!"
The man—Jonathan, Jenie's college friend she'd always praised as "successful"—smirked while straightening his shirt.
"Tch, if Jenie hadn't wanted to do it here, I wouldn't have bothered screwing around in this dump!"
Yohan felt something in his chest shatter into pieces.
"Jenie..." His voice came out hoarse. "Why? What wasn't enough about me?"
Jenie looked away, her lips trembling before finally releasing words that cut Yohan like a knife.
"Yohan, let's just break up. You have no future. I need a man who can give me a decent life, not someone barely scraping by like you."
"Hahaha!" Jonathan laughed loud, his voice dripping with mockery.
"Listen up, loser! Jenie's already dumped you! All you can do is work odd jobs, live in a cramped rental, survive on daily wages."
Jonathan tapped his chest proudly and continued his taunts.
"You could never be like me. I've got a car, a house, and a bright career. Jenie knows who deserves her."
Yohan stared at Jenie with a broken gaze.
"Did my sacrifices these past two years mean nothing to you? Every day I worked hard, saved money, even skipped meals just to buy you gifts."
Tears nearly spilled, but he held them back. He wouldn't look weak in front of these two traitors.
Jenie sighed long, like she was tired of this conversation.
"Yohan, I loved you once. But love isn't enough. You can't promise a good future. While Jonathan..."
She glanced at the man beside her with soft eyes. "Jonathan is different. He can meet all my needs."
"Listen, loser," Jonathan stepped forward, chin raised arrogantly.
"You don't mean anything anymore. But I'll be generous since you lent us your room so I could fuck your girlfriend~ah, no! Your ex-girlfriend—"
"Bastard!"
His anger exploded. Yohan charged forward fast, his fist flying and landing square on Jonathan's face.
Thwack!
"Argh!"
Jonathan stumbled back, his back hitting the wall hard. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. "You piece of shit! Worthless trash like you—!"
But Yohan didn't give him a chance to speak.
He charged again, his fists landing repeatedly on Jonathan's face and body. All his disappointment, heartbreak, and rage poured out with each strike.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
"Stop! Stop, Yohan!" Jenie screamed in panic.
But Yohan didn't care. His eyes reddened, his breath ragged. He kept punching until—
"Crack!"
Something hard slammed into the back of his head. The world spun instantly.
Yohan staggered, his hand reflexively reaching for his head. Something wet and warm flowed over his hand. Blood.
He turned slowly. Jenie stood behind him, her body trembling, her hand gripping a broken glass bottle covered in blood.
"St-stop..." Jenie whispered, her voice shaking, her face deathly pale.
Yohan stared at her with an empty gaze. His head throbbed violently, his vision starting to blur. "Jenie... you..."
Thud!
Jonathan got up and kicked his stomach hard. Yohan fell, his body rolling across the floor.
"Worthless trash!" Jonathan kicked him repeatedly, each kick accompanied by curses. "Who do you think you are? Daring to hit me!"
Yohan could only wince, his body unable to move. His vision grew darker.
Through the blur, he saw Jenie drop the glass bottle from her hand, her face full of fear.
A drop of blood fell onto his chest, hitting the white jade pendant he always wore—a gift from his late mother.
("Believe me, Yohan. No matter how difficult things get, everything will be okay. Mother will always protect you.")
His mother's gentle voice echoed in his mind. Yohan remembered when she'd given him this pendant before she died from illness.
"Mom..." he whispered faintly, his tears finally spilling.
Darkness began to swallow his consciousness. Cold. Empty. Everything felt so distant.
And then... nothing more.
~~~~
[Dimension Between Life and Death]
Yohan felt his body floating. No ground beneath his feet, no sky above. Just endless darkness.
"Am I... already dead?" he muttered. His voice echoed in the silent void.
Suddenly, a dim light appeared in the distance. Yohan felt his body being pulled, flowing like water following an invisible current.
[Do you regret it?]
A deep, resonating voice filled the empty space. A voice without form, without direction, but felt incredibly close.
"Who are you?!" Yohan shouted, but there was no answer.
[Do you want a second chance?]
Yohan fell silent. A second chance? For what?
"I..." His voice trembled. "I just want revenge. I want them to feel what I felt. I want them to regret betraying me!"
[Strong hatred. Good.]
The light grew brighter and more blinding.
[You will be given a chance. But not in your world. You will be reborn in a different world, in a different body. If you want to return to your world for revenge... you must become strong. Very strong.]
"What do you mean?!"
[Reach the peak of power in that new world. Gather enough energy to open the Gate of Time. Only then can you return to your world and destroy those who betrayed you.]
"How long?!" Yohan asked quickly. "How long do I have to wait?!"
[That depends on your determination. Could be years, could be decades. Or... if you're strong enough, just a few months.]
Yohan gritted his teeth. What choice did he have? Die for nothing, or take this chance?
"I accept!"
[A good decision.]
The light exploded, swallowing Yohan's entire existence.
[You will be given a tool to become strong. Use it wisely. And remember...]
The voice began to fade.
[Hatred is a double-edged sword. Use it to cut your enemies, but don't let it wound yourself.]
~~~~
[Welcome!]
[New World - Mortal Continent]
"Whoosh!"
Like being sucked into a whirlpool, Yohan's soul pierced through the darkness and—
"Slap!"
He felt his body heavy, warm and real.
"Ugh..." Yohan coughed, his chest tight. He opened his eyes slowly.
"Where am I...?" Yohan thought for a long moment, trying to assess his current condition. He stared at the ceiling, but it wasn't his ceiling.
He swept his gaze around, but everything looked so simple—cracked walls, leaking roof, broken door, and a small child standing beside him.
'Who's this kid?' Yohan muttered inwardly. 'And where is this place?'
[Welcome to OnShop!]
[Will Master Login?]
[Yes or No]
Suddenly a translucent screen appeared before him. With scrolling text visible to no one else.
'Is this the tool that voice mentioned?' Yohan thought, his hand reaching out and pressing the [Yes] button without hesitation.