Alexander felt the world go silent. The words of the stranger were truly shocking. Yet, they somehow made sense—his father had borrowed money from the Bureau in the past. And it was a massive amount, so massive that even in his twenties, Alexander was still paying off the debt.
"Did you... just say my father? Luca?"
"Yes, Alexander—your father.
It has come to our attention that his debt was transferred to you. Our executives understand that this was a tad bit unfair to you as a... registered hunter.
So, we've come up with a solution that will make everyone happy."
Alexander narrowed his eyes. The world was an unfair place; everyone knew that. For a massive organization to offer him a deal that would help clear his debt? Something wasn't right. The situation was clearly deeper than it seemed on the surface.
"What do you have on mind, sir? If I can be helpful in any way, I'll definitely cooperate."
"Excellent. Will you be willing to meet tomorrow at ten o'clock in the morning?"
Alexander thought about it. He was on break anyway.
"Yeah, that's fine."
"Good. We'll meet tomorrow, Mr. King."
The call ended with a soft beep. A heavy silence followed, excluding the faint hum of the taxi engine in the slow ride.
"Just what did my father get himself involved in?"
Alexander muttered as he paid the driver and entered his small apartment.
"Dad... why did you take so much money? I didn't even get to benefit from it. You left your son behind, struggling with the bills while you took millions."
The circumstances around his father's debt were shrouded in mystery, but Alexander didn't have the strength to think about it now.
He looked around his apartment—it was dimly lit and cluttered. The familiar untidy environment brought relief. A faint smell of the stale instant noodles he always ate hung in the air.
Memories of his fiancée tried to surface, bringing a sharp sting to his chest. But he shut them out.
"$$$$$,"
His stomach growled, but he ignored it. He dropped onto the chair like a deflated balloon, letting his body rest for the first time that day.
The TV flickered to life, showing the late-night news. The light from the screen was casting weak blue shadows across the room.
Alexander didn't care about the broadcast; his mind was too drained to focus—until a few words caught his attention.
"In international hunter news," said a reporter in a crisp blue suit,
"S-rank hunter Hwang Dong-Su, a Korean-born member of America's Scavenger Guild, has announced his return to Korea."
Alexander's eyes twitched open a little wider.
"Hwang, known for his role in several high-level raids, reportedly plans to investigate the death of his younger brother, Hwang Dong-Seok, who was killed in a C-rank dungeon last month.
The case had been dismissed as a standard dungeon accident, but Hwang is said to believe otherwise."
"Officials warn that his involvement could spark tension between the Korean Hunters Association and the Scavenger Guild."
The segment ended with a calm tone and background music.
Alexander exhaled.
"An S-rank going back for revenge... great. Just what the world needs."
He leaned back, his mind half-asleep, watching the flicker of images fade into static. The rhythm of the TV became a lullaby. His eyelids felt heavy, his breathing slowed, and before long, he drifted into sleep.
Darkness.
Alexander's consciousness floated in a void. His mind was filled with the same steady, rhythmic beeping that had haunted him since earlier that day—the sound had begun faintly at the company, a background hum. But now, in the dark, it grew louder and sharper until it pulsed like a bomb inside his skull.
Beep... Beep... Beep...
Then, the darkness parted.
A blinding light flared, forcing Alexander to shield his eyes in the dream. Slowly, he lowered his hands—and saw it.
A massive throne.
A massive, majestic throne suspended in a place without sky or ground. Seated upon it was a figure—humanoid in shape, yet vast and terrifying.
His form exuded power so absolute that Alexander's body trembled just looking at him. The air around the being distorted, warping reality itself.
The face... it looked like it was carved from stone—unmoving, emotionless, eternal, as if he were a statue. The only word that echoed in Alexander's mind in that moment was...
"absolute."
The being raised one hand.
Light and darkness swirled together, forming shapes—worlds, oceans, and stars.
Alexander saw creation itself unfolding. Planets bloomed into existence like flowers of fire. Mountains rose, seas formed, and creatures crawled from light and shadow.
Among them, humans emerged—fragile, yet luminous. Then, the being created two groups.
The first shone with radiance, clad in brilliant armor like divine warriors—angels, almost.
The second group emerged from shadow, bearing forms twisted by contrast, their power dark and consuming.
The being called them by many names—fragments of light and darkness. Angels, demons, rulers, monarchs—whatever felt right in the moment.
At first, they stood side by side. But soon, their goals clashed. One group was made to protect the earth, the other to destroy it.
Under the gaze of their creator, they began to fight. Their clash shattered the heavens. Beams of light and storms of darkness collided, tearing through the stars. Entire worlds crumbled. Time itself seemed to bend under the weight of their fury.
Alexander's heart pounded. The power he was witnessing was beyond comprehension. These weren't gods—they were forces of nature.
The battle continued for what felt like eternities until all of creation was consumed. The stars went out. Seas boiled. Mountains fell. Even the mighty absolute being on the throne dissolved into the chaos he had created.
Alexander's soul ached as he watched billions of lives vanish in silence. His body trembled, even though it was only a dream.
But then...
A flicker.
The beings in shining armor—those radiant warriors—did something impossible; after losing the war, they reversed time. Using a cup? It looked like a chalice. The cup of reincarnation.
Reality began to reverse. The destruction unwound. Worlds reformed. Life returned.
And then... it all happened again.
Destruction. Rebirth. Destruction. Rebirth.
A never-ending cycle. Creation trapped in an eternal loop of life and ruin.
Alexander could barely breathe, overwhelmed by the endless spiral.
Just as his mind began to collapse under the weight of it all, another presence appeared.
A shadow.
From within the vision stepped a being unlike the rest. It looked similar to the radiant and the dark ones, yet neither side claimed it. Its eyes gleamed with something—amusement, maybe? Or pity?
A slow, sinister smile stretched across its face. When it spoke, the words were clear, echoing directly inside Alexander's mind.
"You can stop this."
Alexander's thoughts froze. Was this being actually talking to him?
"You can save your timeline..."
His mouth didn't move, but his mind screamed back.
"Me...a D-ranked hunter? ...How...?
The being laughed, as if it had read his mind.
"By becoming... Player Two."
The words struck him like thunder. A blue glow spread across the darkness, and suddenly, a translucent screen appeared before him.
[Do you accept the role of Player Two?]
Two options blinked beneath it:
Yes | No
Alexander stared at it, his mind a storm of disbelief and curiosity. What kind of dream was this? Why does it feel so real?
He hesitated for only a moment. Then, something deep inside whispered—a strange instinct that this choice mattered. That this was fate.
He reached out and pressed
Yes.
Alexander jerked awake, gasping, his chest heaving. He sat up on the couch, drenched in sweat, heart hammering against his ribs. The room was dim, lit only by the flicker of the television's blue glow.
Cold air brushed against his skin, but his body burned from within.
His breath froze when he saw the next sight. Floating before him, where the dream screen had been, was a faint blue shimmer—real this time.
His hands trembled.
[Welcome player 2.]
Alexander was confused as many questions jumped about in his mind, but one question stood out amongst all.
"If... if I'm Player Two..." he whispered, voice shaking. "Then... who's Player One?"