READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 9: 9
9. First Return
[This morning, an unbelievable event occurred at Bosingak Pavilion in Jongno-gu where the bell-ringing ceremony was held. Over ten thousand people collectively lost consciousness. Let's first watch the video of what happened.]
The video contained an unbelievable scene.
A winged woman appeared in the sky with light.
[People are bewildered by the appearance of a woman resembling an angel. Her lips move as if speaking, but no sound can be heard. Shortly after, when a young man asks the angel a question, his head explodes like a firework.]
The scene of a human being killed was broadcast unfiltered.
Even with mosaic blurring, the brutality was vividly felt.
[The tens of thousands of people at the scene fall into panic. Soon after, as the angel seems to explain something for a while, people lose consciousness. About ten thousand people fell asleep.]
In the video, people collapse like puppets with cut strings.
Eventually, police are seen investigating the remaining people.
[According to witness testimonies, the angel claimed to have taken people aged 15 to 29 to another dimension. It was an absurd story, but with many witnesses and the angel's appearance captured on video, it had to be believed.]
[This phenomenon occurred nationwide. Angel sightings and people falling into narcolepsy have been reported everywhere. Upon investigation, it was confirmed to affect those aged 15 to 29 as stated earlier.]
[This is not limited to our country. Japan, China, Russia, the United States, and others. Over 128 countries have confirmed cases of narcolepsy. People all over the world have lost consciousness.]
1.8 billion people were abducted to another world.
Of course, not their bodies, but their souls.
Shocking articles appeared one after another on portal site news sections.
Netizen comments were divided into two reactions:
└What's this? Did all the reporters take drugs?
└Why are only such absurd articles being posted?
└It's not even April Fool's Day.
└1.8 billion souls abducted? Crazy, the scale of this fake news is off the charts.
└LOL reporters' teamwork is impressive.
└The video is probably edited too.
While many couldn't believe the articles that made them doubt their eyes,
└Are the people above all elementary schoolers? Would reporters publish fake news on New Year's with nothing better to do?
└Exactly. Don't you see it's spread across other portal sites too?
└The guys above would probably laugh and die even if told to run because war broke out.
There were surprisingly many who believed it.
However, as the same content was covered everywhere - on TV, radio, internet - people had to accept it.
That this was not a joke, but the real reality before their eyes.
└I thought it was a lie, but it's real...
└WTF what is this
└The article next to it explains in detail. It's a survival game that goes up to 20 rounds.
└What, so I'm going to be taken by an angel too?
└Seems you don't need to worry if you're not between 15-29 years old.
└How can you not worry, idiot. 1.8 billion people aren't waking up...
└My friend's brother really lost consciousness, apparently. They say he's still breathing...
└I'm a 49-year-old father. My only middle school son won't wake up no matter how I try. I don't know what to do. Please tell me what to do.
└My sibling is sleeping and won't wake up. What do I do? ㅠㅠㅠ
└Seriously, what do we do now? Is this the end of the world?
└LOL good riddance. This damn world. Just collapse already.
Ryumin sighed as he read the news comments on his phone.
'It's finally begun.'
The internet was abuzz with talk about the survival game.
It felt real now that he had returned to Earth.
'But this is just the beginning.'
Ryumin skimmed through another article.
[Around 5:20 AM, about half of those who fell into narcolepsy woke up...]
[The other half stopped breathing and went into cardiac arrest... Essentially dead.]
[About 900,000 dead in Seoul. Estimated 4.5 million nationwide.]
[Unprecedented situation with 11% of the population dead.]
[Global death toll around 900 million. World in chaos from narcolepsy death shock.]
Death articles were lined up, but the real problem was elsewhere.
[Survivors say they created characters and completed quests as if in a game...]
[Had to fight monsters called goblins barehanded on a prairie...]
[Breaking: Self-proclaimed 'players' among survivors found able to pull out weapons and armor from thin air...]
'The real problem is that players' abilities have transferred to reality.'
Although those at Bosingak didn't hear explanations because the angel died, you don't return to Earth empty-handed.
You come back with the player's abilities intact.
'Since the system itself is a soul-based ability, it can be used even if the body changes.'
Of course, this information could only be learned by torturing angels in previous regressions.
'It won't have much impact now since stats are low, but...'
Later, as levels rise and players become stronger, they truly become transcendent beings.
'That's when some ignorant players will start exercising their powers in reality like outlaws.'
One-man armies that can't be controlled by military or cutting-edge weapons are born.
'At that time, we can't just focus on quests like now. Various problems arise after returning too.'
The other world and reality.
A world full of chaos in both places will come in just a few months.
He can't just stand by and watch such a world.
If he does, Earth will be destroyed before Round 20.
'There's only one way. Control players with overwhelming power. Wild beasts only submit to strong force.'
Ryumin planned to unite players by force as he had done before.
That's the only way to suppress chaos and aim for the final boss.
Of course, a different approach was needed this time.
He had to lead four others besides himself to the final round.
'It would be good to bring a Priest and Buffer. If the boss room requires at least five people, it must be that strong.'
Some candidates came to mind, and he had plans for how to win them over as allies, but...
'It's not time to act yet. There's something more important right now.'
When Ryumin returned to Earth after Round 1 ended, he immediately left the bell-ringing site.
He headed straight for home.
A multi-family house in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul.
Beep beep beep- Brrring!
The first thing Ryumin saw when he entered was a cup ramen container on the sink.
'Looks like he had cup ramen for dinner again.'
It was a familiar scene he had seen in previous regressions.
Something he saw every time he came home.
Ryumin opened the closed bedroom door.
Someone was sleeping soundly on a blanket spread on the floor.
It was his middle school third-year brother, Ryuwon.
Now his only remaining family.
"Won. Wake up."
As Ryumin shook him, Ryuwon stirred and blinked sleepily.
"...Brother?"
"Get up. It's morning."
"What time is it?"
Ryuwon looked at the wall clock as he spoke.
"What? It's only 6 o'clock."
"We don't have time to sleep more."
"What is it? What's going on?"
"I'll explain later, just get dressed first. Let's go out."
"Where are we going? If it's to watch the sunrise, I'd rather sleep more..."
"Listen to me."
At the low voice, Ryuwon closed his mouth and looked at his brother.
Ryuwon's expression turned serious at his brother's different atmosphere from usual.
"Brother, what's wrong? Did something happen?"
"Now's not the time to sleep comfortably. The world's in chaos."
"Why? Didn't you say you were going to watch the bell-ringing? Did something happen?"
"Just come out for now. I'll explain as we walk."
The brothers passed through the narrow kitchen and went outside.
Ryuwon shivered once in the cold early morning air that hadn't yet dissipated.
"Let's walk a bit."
"Okay."
The brothers walked silently through the dim alleyway.
Ryuwon turned his head and glanced at his brother.
'What happened to make him look so serious?'
Seeing his brother's unusual appearance, Ryuwon couldn't ask and just watched carefully.
He thought his brother would explain on his own, but his atmosphere was subtly different from before.
'No, it's completely different.'
His chin was raised, his eyes were powerful, and his steps were confident.
It was hard to believe this was his brother who used to look small with hunched shoulders.
"You."
After walking for a while, Ryumin spoke.
"You don't know what's happening in the world right now, do you?"
"Of course not. Why? Did something happen while I was sleeping?"
"Check the internet news."
Ryuwon did as told and looked at the internet on his phone.
"Whoa... What's this?"
Ryuwon stopped in his tracks and couldn't take his eyes off his phone for a while.
"Is this for real? An angel appeared and people were taken to another world en masse?"
"Technically, only their souls were taken."
"Don't tell me you too, brother?"
Ryumin nodded.
"I barely managed to return alive after killing 100 goblins in the other world."
"..."
Though he told the truth, his brother still had a disbelieving expression.
"Then why wasn't I taken?"
"You're not 15 years old yet."
Ryuwon was going into 3rd year of middle school this year, but he was still 14 as his birthday hadn't passed yet.
It was a fortunate point in this desperate situation.
As if the reality still hadn't sunk in, Ryuwon continued reading articles.
The comment sections were full of laments from people who lost siblings and children.
There were too many witnesses to call it a lie.
"Hah... How did this happen..."
Ryuwon sighed and looked at his brother.
He was amazed at how his brother had managed to survive despite his small frame.
"Are you okay, brother? Are you hurt anywhere?"
"Don't worry about me."
"How can I not worry? You're my only family."
On that day when their parents suddenly died in a car accident.
It was none other than his brother who comforted Ryuwon as he cried, covered in tears and snot.
'Brother is stronger than anyone.'
Though his brother looked so weak that people might mistake him for a middle schooler too, Ryuwon thought differently.
'To me, brother is like a father figure.'
Though he never said it out loud because it was embarrassing, Ryuwon followed and relied on his brother like a father.
But even so, he couldn't help but worry.
'Mental strength and fighting ability are different things.'
He acknowledged his brother's strong mentality, but that didn't mean he was good at fighting.
Not only was he small in stature, but he often came home beaten up by someone.
'Every time I asked, he said not to worry and that he'd handle his own business.'
How could he not worry if his brother might be hurt somewhere?
As he was thinking this, Ryumin casually said.
"I know what you're thinking."
"Huh?"
"Don't worry. In the other world, there's a system called stats, so physical conditions are meaningless. Even women can fight goblins on equal terms."
"Oh... Is that so?"
"And when you see how I move in a bit, you won't have such worries."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Follow me if you want to know."
"No. I won't move a step until you tell me where we're going."
Though his brother was being stubborn, Ryumin just smiled wryly.
Even this reaction was something he had already experienced in the previous regression.
"You want to know?"
"That goes without saying!"
"Bang Taegyu."
At the name, his brother's face hardened.
"We're going to your bully's hideout now."
"What?"
"You've been bullied throughout school by a delinquent named Bang Taegyu, right?"
"H-how do you know that, brother...?"
Ryuwon couldn't help but be surprised.
He had never once mentioned being bullied in his life.
Rather, he had always said with a smile.
That he had many good friends and enjoyed going to school.
The reason was simple.
He didn't want to burden his brother.
He didn't want to be a burden to his brother who was already working part-time jobs alone to support them.
But somehow, his brother knew.
"You... knew everything?"
"Did you think I wouldn't know?"
"..."
At Ryumin's words, Ryuwon bit his lower lip.
'I thought I hadn't shown any signs...'
Ryuwon thought he had been found out due to his own mistake, but in fact, Ryumin hadn't known.
That his brother was being beaten at school.
'Back then, I was being beaten by Hwang Yongmin too, and I was too busy with part-time jobs to pay attention.'
Ryumin learned the truth several hours after returning from Round 1.
His brother, who had gone out early in the morning, suddenly came back blinded.
'It turned out he was beaten by a delinquent named Bang Taegyu.'
It was a shocking incident for Ryumin, who hadn't known his brother was being bullied.
'To think my brother was being bullied just like me.'
He felt guilty for not being able to protect him as an older brother.
He felt sorry for seemingly passing down his own weakness to his brother.
That's why Ryumin had no choice but to get involved in his brother's affairs.
Above all, he was his only precious family.
"But brother. What did you say earlier? That we're going to that guy's hideout?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"Why else?"
Ryumin raised one corner of his mouth.
"How can I leave alone someone who bullied my brother? I should at least break his arm."
And not just break it.
'I'll make him a half-dead wreck so he never thinks of bullying again.'