It was a late, lonely night when Kim Gyeong, exhausted from endless hours of work, felt a sudden wave of dizziness. Darkness enveloped him as he fainted, only to awaken in a world far removed from his own—a world of martial arts known as Murim. Here, he became a wandering swordsman, a force to be reckoned with, his name whispered in awe and fear across the lands.
His journey was one of relentless battles and legendary feats. He cut down the Lich Emperor, the self-proclaimed Spirit King, and the Abysmal Dragon King. His participation in the Thousand Years War reshaped the very fabric of the Murim world. Yet, despite his triumphs, a sense of emptiness gnawed at his soul.
When he ascended to the heavens, he discovered a harsh truth: the heavens were no different from hell. Legends were treated as slaves, and the celestial realms were divided by strength. Kim found himself in the third realm, where power meant nothing without wealth. Soul stones, harvested from mortal beings, were the currency, and this realization filled him with a deep, simmering rage.
Time lost its meaning in the heavenly realm, but Kim Gyeong's determination never wavered. He amassed enough soul stones to ascend to the second realm, only to find it even more corrupt. Nepotism thrived, and those capable of splitting mountains were reduced to menial tasks for the heavenly officials. The divine energy that permeated the realm made mortal needs like eating and sleeping essential once more, adding to his frustration.
Years passed, and Kim Gyeong finally reached the first heavenly realm, only to be met with utter devastation. The realm was in ruins, torn apart by endless wars among immortals vying for supremacy. The once-glorious heavens were now a battlefield, littered with bones and soaked in blood. Immortals, though impossible to kill, could be weakened and sealed by draining their life force.
Forged into a living weapon of destruction, he turned the tide of the war by becoming the first to kill an immortal. His allies, threatened by his power, betrayed him, joining forces with their enemies to bring him down. Alone on a battlefield of despair, surrounded by the remnants of countless lives, he contemplated the futility of existence itself. Should he destroy everything and end the cycle of suffering?
Just as he was about to give in to his darkest impulses, a blinding light enveloped him. The familiar smell of disinfectant and the sound of beeping filled the air. He found himself back in a world of skyscrapers and bustling life, but something was amiss. This wasn't Earth.
In this new world, Kim Gyeong had the same name and but different job as his old one, has he now worked for the world central government that protected people and was somehow in a hospital after a boarder-war with the Elven domain. The city he lived in, Grand, was a metropolitan city filled with different species from various worlds, brought together by mysterious gates. Despite the familiarity, he felt like a stranger in a strange land.
Unable to control his violent impulses and haunted by his past, Kim decided to retire and leave the city . He quit his job just as he was about to receive a promotion and rejected his assault-medal, which shocked everyone who knew him to be an opportunistic person. His supposed best friend Jake, his partner of four months was sade and guilty as he considered him to be his mentor and colleague after all the only reason he got injured severely was because he jumped in front of him.
Kim oblivious to Jake's worries after getting discharged immediately packed his belongings, bought a house and drove to the countryside, hoping to find peace and perhaps rediscover his lost humanity but upon his arrival he changed his mind as he became bored and went on to drown himself in junk food and cable.
For weeks, he lived as a hermit in a small cottage by the riverside, shrouded in darkness and isolation. The townsfolk whispered rumors of an old man living in the cottage, but Kim paid them no mind. He believed he was destined to live alone, battling his inner demons, until one fateful Monday morning.
The chirping of birds and the gentle breeze signaled the start of a new day as Kim lay on his couch, savoring the rare moment of tranquility until he sensed a presence nearby...