Yu Jitae got up with a sigh and approached the wardrobe. Opening it, he took a shirt and a pair of formal pants; it was his police uniform that barely fit him due to his enormous size difference. However, as soon as he touched the garments, they began to adjust to his figure naturally, fitting perfectly as if they had been custom-made.
[Inherent Customization (S)]
This was a skill that normally allowed humans to wear objects they otherwise couldn't carry, like enchanted armor or clothing. But in this case, he was using it in a more mundane way, simply to make the uniform adapt to him.
After tying his tie into a firm knot, he looked in the mirror. The reflection returned the image of a uniform that once filled him with pride. Now, it only evoked a faint glimpse of nostalgia, a memory that seemed as distant as it was insignificant. It was a feeling that often surfaced when he looked back at his past, but like everything else, it no longer affected him in the same way.
He glanced at the clock. The hands marked 7:00 AM. It was time to leave.
Gangnam, despite the early hour, was full of life. Businessmen in immaculate suits spoke frantically on their phones, while others, superhumans in imposing combat armor, leaned casually against the walls, smoking cigarettes as if they were just ordinary pedestrians. It was all part of the daily life in this chaotic city, a routine that felt unsettlingly alien to Yu Jitae.
He boarded a bus heading towards the Portal Bureau. Inside this imposing building, large floating stones emitted a magical light that allowed for teleportation anywhere in the world. As he approached the portal, a bright light enveloped him completely. When he opened his eyes, he was already in the Hideout.
...
In the 21st century, the Republic of Korea has become the epicenter of a global catastrophe. Doors to other worlds opened without warning, and hordes of monsters began to emerge. However, at the same time, superhumans also arose, endowed with 'Blessings' and 'Abilities' that allowed them to fight against those beasts. Korea, with its inexplicable number of dungeons, became one of the three most powerful nations in the world, reaching a military status comparable to that of ancient oil superpowers.
Ten years ago, Korea began concentrating on promising young hunters in one place to train and strengthen their abilities. That's when the Academic City, known as the Hideout, was born a place intended to train the best hunters on the planet.
The floating island of Haytling, as extensive as one-tenth of Seoul, hovered over the Atlantic Ocean like a satellite, slowly rotating around the world. It was a technological and magical marvel, built with a colossal investment of resources from all over the planet. Here, at 27 years old, Yu Jitae served as a member of the local police force.
From the Portal Bureau's window, the sight of clouds floating beneath his feet was breathtaking. The Hideout, with its imposing modern structures, was teeming with uniformed students hurrying through the streets. Without wasting any more time, he headed to the police station.
"Hello, Jitae-sunbae!"
"Oh, Jitae is here too! Last night we overdid it with the drinks."
As soon as he crossed the threshold, several coworkers greeted him warmly, although, to Yu Jitae, they were all strangers. This was normal, considering he had gone back in time and hadn't worked there since.
But this time it was different. He was determined to adapt to a "normal" life, even if it proved more challenging than any battle. In the past, during his multiple time loops, he had wielded power and fear as his main weapons, believing that brute force would solve any problem. However, after his sixth failed attempt, in which he reached the maximum level of power and still failed, he realized that something was amiss. He knew his approach needed to change, even if it wasn't easy after so much time.
His desk was covered in disorganized papers, a reflection of his former self, who had worked in that same place a century ago. Without saying a word, he began to organize it, while fleeting memories of his past life flooded his mind.
"Huh?" some of his coworkers were watching him out of the corner of their eyes "Don't you think Jitae-sunbae looks... different?"
"What? Oh! Now that you mention it..."
"It's true. Was he always this tall?"
The murmurs grew, and some looked at him with intrigue. His height had increased slightly, reaching 187 centimeters, and his muscular body stood out even more under the uniform, making him appear even more imposing than before. One of the younger members, unable to contain himself, approached nervously.
"Jitae-sunbae, has something happened?"
Yu Jitae stared at him, trying to remember his name, until he saw the badge on his uniform.
"Kim Minsoo."
"What's going on?"
"It's just that... you seem taller and... your body looks stronger too."
"Nothing has happened."
The young man hesitated, clearly intimidated by Yu Jitae's cold, calculating gaze. Despite having always been quiet and reserved, there was something in his aura that had changed. A change that his coworkers noticed but couldn't quite understand.
"You're okay, right?" the young man asked, hesitantly.
"That's what I'm saying."
"Did you have any enlightenment or anything?"
In the world of superhumans, when a human received mana and became a superhuman, it was called "awakening." And when that superhuman reached a higher level of power, receiving a blessing from the world, it was called "enlightenment."
Thinking about it, Yu Jitae had gone through that process many times. He nodded slightly, without giving it much importance.
"I knew it! Wow, congratulations, sunbae!"
The conversation was abruptly interrupted by a loud voice from the back of the office.
"Congratulations, my ass! Stop fantasizing. Are we in a situation to be congratulating each other?"
A middle-aged man with scars and a face hardened by life entered the office. He was the section chief, Inspector Park, whose mere presence made everyone straighten up as if an electric current surged through the room.
"How many weeks have passed, huh? You said you'd catch Jo Hosik and gather all the recruits. Why is there still no news?" he growled, glaring sternly at the team.
Yu Jitae heard the name but couldn't remember it at all. Most likely, Jo Hosik was some minor criminal, someone insignificant in his vast memory.
"We almost have him, sir! If you give us a little more time..."
"A little? A little more?" Inspector Park stepped closer to the team leader and, with a firm finger, pressed it against his forehead "Do you know what Team 1 says about you behind your backs?"
The atmosphere tensed. The team leader, pale as a ghost, tried to respond, but the inspector interrupted him, launching a threat that left everyone in silence. He gave them a week. If they hadn't caught Jo Hosik at that time, they would have lost their jobs.
Yu Jitae, observing the silent chaos left in the wake of the inspector's departure, felt no rush or pressure. He had faced infinitely bigger problems than this. However, he decided he would help... as long as it didn't interfere too much with his new daily life.
...
Daily life remained routine, but there were still things to do. That night, Yu Jitae flew across southern Europe, over the Mediterranean Sea. In Florence, Italy, on a road surrounded by buildings that seemed pulled from the Renaissance period, street musicians played beautiful melodies. In front of him, a girl stopped.
She appeared to be seventeen or eighteen years old.
The girl stood still. Yu Jitae also halted and watched her for a long time. She had hair the color of peridot, and her eyes shone like gems. Over the years, he had lost all interest in women. However, the reason his gaze remained fixed on her face was that, no matter how much he looked, she didn't seem human.
Her beauty was so overwhelming that it was almost disturbing. She was not human; she was a Green Dragon.
Perhaps sensing something, the girl held his gaze with a somewhat rigid expression.
Yu Jitae pondered for a moment. Now that he had found her, what should he do? In previous cycles, he had had no reason to interact with baby Dragons for long, so he had simply kidnapped them and locked them in an underground maze.
In the end, that strategy had failed.
This time, he had to act more 'ordinarily' than before.
"Hello," he simply greeted.
...
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