New beginning (1)

In the subway train, the Oldest Dream heard someone knock on the door.

He sighed, a mix of exasperation and amusement on his face as he wondered why she was even knocking.

Without waiting for an answer, Xin Jian opened the door.

"I'm back~!"

The Oldest Dream raised an eyebrow, quoting her.

"And death is a social construct?"

"Indeed."

The Oldest Dream shook his head before setting his gaze on a particular world line.

Xin Jian casually sat down next to him.

Instead of creating a new timeline, they had rewound time.

To do so, while she was wandering around as an 'incarnation', she had searched for traces of the hunters who had appeared in that world line. She figured that since the Thames were previously a family of hunters and had studied various things like time, the hunters should at least have a clue as to where the Thames' family had kept their research results.

After searching through some worlds, she quickly found the reincarnation of Kim Rok Soo's mother (or the 'previous' Cale Henituse's mother), then went to a parallel world where his mother had her memory intact, finally gathered enough information about time travel and modified Yoo Jonghyuk's regression skill with the data obtained.

As for why she knew about the Thames and Cale's past, it was due to the same thing that allowed her to travel through world lines.

Looking through the windows showing the sight of various world lines, Xin Jian commented:

"Still, I can't help but feel that this place's connection to all the worlds is really convenient."

The Oldest Dream snapped her out of her thoughts.

"What is that in your hands?"

"…Ah."

Xin Jian recalled what she was holding.

Or more precisely, 'who' she was holding.

She grinned and handed a cute familiar creature to the Oldest Dream.

"I kidnapped your daughter before rewinding time. Now you can raise her here."

The Oldest Dream took a while to regain his senses.

"Bahaat!"

He sighed and patted Biyoo.

"…The rewind has ended, the 5th regression is about to begin."

***

Cale opened his eyes in the subway.

Leaning against a wall, he observed the bustling crowd as he thought about what to do now.

The office workers had tired faces as they were on their way home.

"Heuh, heuh-euh…."

The terrorist was still making strange sounds as if he was excited and the regressor was wearing a cold expression as always.

Cale took the sight into his eyes, recording the scene he hoped he wouldn't have to get through again by concluding the scenario as fast as possible.

Everything was the same as before.

This was a reality he would have to get used to.

Eventually, if he helped this man to reach the end of the scenarios, he should be able to attain his slacker life faster than if he let Yoo Jonghyuk continue to regress eternally, right?

"…What's that?"

"H-hey, man!"

So annoying…

Screeeaach!!!

[7:00 PM]

Tick!

[The free service period of the planetary system no. 8612 has concluded.]

[Main Scenario has begun.]

[Channel #B-7623 has opened.]

[Constellations are entering.]

"Heuh, heuh-heuh, heuh-euh….."

After looking around for a while, Yoo Jonghyuk's gaze settled on Cale.

He was waiting to see if the crimson-haired teenager would make a move this time as well.

However, it didn't happen.

Cale knew that if he acted now, he would reveal that he remembered the previous round, but he wanted to keep that fact a secret until he gathered enough information to help Yoo Jonghyuk. After all, if he made a wrong move, Yoo Jonghyuk could turn his back against him and consider him a threat.

He had to find a way to make his survival seem natural, as if it was a certain action of the regressor that triggered him to survive so he wouldn't get suspicious, as well as an excuse to refuse to follow him this time.

He decided to observe.

Feeling the gaze of his constellation on him, the crimson-haired teenager stared out of the window and looked at the sky.

Apparently, he was still connected to his sponsor here.

Maybe feeling his intentions, a system window appeared in front of him.

[You have received the stigma 'Pain Resistance Lv.1'.]

Xin Jian knew that Cale didn't like pain.

Cale kept a stoic expression. He didn't remember that his constellation's identity was his childhood friend, only that he had made a deal with his sponsor.

To let him increase his stats, Xin Jian continued.

[You have been sponsored 500 coins.]

[Your constellation asks you to wait a bit for her to exploit her boss and gather coins to make you rich.]

Cale's lips curled up slightly.

He then watched the regressor's actions, his eyes hidden behind his hair.

This time too, blood was splashed in the cabin next door.

The Oldest Dream frowned.

"Why do you even have the Pain Resistance skill?"

Xin Jian, who only realized she had it just now while giving her own stigma to Cale in addition to the Oldest Dream's stigma that Cale already had, was disappointed that her blessing (stigma) was so lame.

"That must be from experience. Try dying in all ways imaginable and you will naturally develop a pain resistance too."

She sarcastically made a thumbs up at her own words.

"…"

The Oldest Dream's first question was what exactly happened in Xin Jian's life before coming here.

In the end, he sighed.

"Why did you come back if it's to say such bullshit…?"

Xin Jian recounted her experiences here.

"My presence exists only to annoy people, die, or die because I annoyed people."

"When did the last one even happen??"

"It didn't."

Yet.

'At least, I think…' She mentally added before getting deep in thought to search if there were any corresponding memories in her mind.

The Oldest Dream covered his face.

However, Xin Jian's presence wasn't unpleasant.

"Why are you making this expression? I'm telling the truth, though?"

Meanwhile, Yoo Jonghyuk was disappointed.

He turned his gaze away from the passive crimson-haired teenager and subdued the terrorist in an instant.

After that, he decided to give the boy a last chance and headed to him.

Noticing the regressor, Cale displayed his wonderful acting skills that had fooled the White Star numerous times and acted faintly scared.

Yoo Jonghyuk approached Cale and called him.

"Kid. Do you want live?"

He offered him an opportunity.

Cale nodded his head while pretending that he was trying to act calm.

Knowing Cale full well, Xin Jian emotionlessly clapped her hands.

"How is this called… Acting your acting skills?"

The Oldest Dream also agreed that he had been nearly fooled until Xin Jian spoke up.

The regressor continued.

"Then kill this man."

Yoo Jonghyuk put the now beaten up terrorist in front of Cale, but Cale only stared down at the man.

The protagonist coldly tried to reassure the boy.

"Don't worry, it's a bad person. He wanted to kill everyone here before."

It was only then that Cale apprehensively looked up at Yoo Jonghyuk and the latter could see the teenager's eyes.

In his gaze, there was a faint fear that Yoo Jonghyuk hadn't noticed. Cale's eyes were slightly shaking.

Had it been the same in the previous round? Had this stoic-looking child been suppressing his emotions and been afraid all along?

He should have guessed it earlier.

There was no way a 17 years old could simply calmly kill someone because he was told to.

But then, why did he do so the last time…?

Seeing that the teenager still didn't move, Yoo Jonghyuk stepped back.

Maybe it would be better for Cale if he died here.

Yoo Jonghyuk checked a last time.

"Are you sure you don't want to kill him? If you don't, you will die."

There was no answer.

Everyone was holding their breaths while staring Yoo Jonghyuk. Some panicked whispers erupted among the crowd since the regressor was now in possession of the terrorist's bomb.

However, it was really too bad to lose the previously third-ranked person in Seoul so easily.

He used Sage's Eyes to look at Cale's status window.

Seeing the protagonist's glowing eye, Cale had a bad feeling.

He had used the coins given by his sponsor to increase his stats and had two more skills since the last round so his Attributes Window would undoubtedly give him away.

Then he received a strange message and sparks appeared around Yoo Jonghyuk's eye.

[Your constellation is protecting your Attributes Window.]

So the regressor was trying to look into his Attributes Window? It would have indeed been troublesome.

Yoo Jonghyuk frowned, wondering why it didn't work this time.

Maybe Cale was a similar existence to Kim Dokja? Was he a prophet?

With this new uncertainty, Yoo Jonghyuk made up his mind. He then proceeded to slam Choi Han-Gyu's head against the floor and crushed it with his foot.

'How vicious…'

Not forgetting to back away to the side, Cale appeared appropriately shocked and afraid at the terrorist's death.

Then, Yoo Jonghyuk created an explosion and made everyone in the cabin die.

Cale mentally sighed as he was consumed by flames. He hadn't noticed any bad person he could kill other than the terrorist due to the lack of time.

Hoping that the regressor would lose his habit of creating explosions to kill everyone in the cabin in the next round, Cale coldly looked at himself being devoured by flames.

[Stigma 'Pain Resistance Lv.1' is activated.]

[Your skill has leveled up!]

[Stigma 'Pain Resistance Lv.2' is activated.]

[Your skill has leveled up!]

[Stigma 'Pain Resistance Lv.3' is activated.]

As if he wasn't the one literally burning alive, Cale waited until his life ended, praising the Pain Resistance skill before dying so that he didn't need to suffer too much.

After all, Cale was afraid of dying mainly because he disliked pain.

The crimson-haired teenager closed his eyes.

Now, he would never be able to truly die, except if someone found a way to seal him and Yoo Jonghyuk.

[The stigma 'Group Regression Lv. 2' is activated.]