Chapter 2: One Month Before the System
BEEP… BEEP… BEEP…
The sound pierced through the silence of the small, sunlit room.
Kang Tae-Hyun's eyes snapped open. He gasped, sitting upright, drenched in sweat. Every muscle screamed, but strangely… he felt alive. Fully alive.
"…I… I'm alive?" he whispered.
He looked around. A small room, white walls, a cracked mirror on the wall, and sunlight streaming through thin curtains. His hands trembled as he lifted them. No scars. No wounds. No exhaustion.
He rushed to the mirror.
The face staring back at him was young—unscarred. Ten years ago.
"…Impossible," Kang Tae-Hyun muttered. "I went back… ten years… before it all started."
The calendar on the wall confirmed it.
One month before the world would awaken.
Memories of his death and betrayal surged in his mind: Lee Min-Seok. Jung Hae-Rin. Choi Sung-Jae. Every strike. Every betrayal. Every wound.
He clenched his fists. Cold fury burned in his chest.
This time… I'll make sure no one betrays me.
Suddenly—a sharp mechanical DING echoed in his head.
A translucent blue window appeared in front of him.
[Unique System Activated]
User: Kang Tae-Hyun
System Type: LIMITLESS
Kang Tae-Hyun's eyes narrowed.
"…A system…" he muttered. But this one felt… different.
Another window appeared:
[Warning]
This system does not follow normal rules.
Level Cap: NONE
Stat Cap: NONE
Growth Restriction: REMOVED
He swallowed.
"…No level limit?"
In his past life, humans had a hard cap: 100 for ordinary, 200 for special humans, 1000 for monsters.
This… was limitless.
[Answer]
Theoretical max: Level 9,999,999,999,999 and beyond.
A small smile crept across his lips.
"So this time… I won't just be strong. I'll become beyond everything."
Another system message appeared.
[Hidden Tutorial Detected]
Condition: Regression User
Reward: Early Awakening
Do you wish to proceed?
He didn't hesitate.
"Proceed."
Suddenly, pressure slammed into his chest, like a thousand mountains pressing him to the ground. Pain unlike anything he had ever known. He gritted his teeth, refusing to cry out.
Chains inside him snapped. Something within him broke open.
[Awakening Complete]
Class: ??? (Unrestricted)
Talent Grade: Beyond Measurement
Kang Tae-Hyun exhaled, steadying his breathing.
A new window appeared—larger than before.
[Status Window]
Name: Kang Tae-Hyun
Level: 1
HP: ∞
MP: ∞
Strength: 1
Agility: 1
Endurance: 1
Intelligence: 1
Luck: ???
Available Stat Points: ∞
He stared at it. The world outside was peaceful. People walked, unaware that monsters and players would arrive in one month.
Another system message appeared:
[New Function Unlocked]
Skill Creation
Passive Evolution
Limit Override
Kang Tae-Hyun's eyes gleamed.
"This time," he said softly, "I'll create skills no one else can touch."
He focused, recalling every battle and every mistake from his previous life.
Skill Created
Name: Absolute Survival
Type: Passive
Effect: Converts fatal damage into growth, prevents instant death, resistance rises infinitely
Skill Created
Name: Fate Denial
Type: Passive
Effect: Immune to prophecy, foresight, and control-type abilities
He paused, satisfied.
"…This is just the beginning."
Kang Tae-Hyun walked to the window. Outside, the city thrived, ignorant of what was coming.
A phone buzzed on his desk. A message notification.
From Lee Min-Seok.
"Hey, want to hang out later?"
Kang Tae-Hyun's eyes didn't flinch. Calmly, he deleted the message.
"There will be no comrades this time," he whispered.
Another system notification appeared:
[Main Quest Updated]
Phase 1: Preparation
Objective: Secure power before Day 30
Reward: System Authority Expansion
A low smirk appeared on his face.
"One month is enough," he said. "To surpass every so-called hero… and rewrite fate itself."
🔥 End of Chapter 2 🔥