Han Joon-soo's eyes burned. The glow of his monitor was a cruel reminder of the 20-hour shift he'd just pulled. His cramped Seoul apartment, littered with instant noodle cups and energy drink cans, smelled of stale coffee and desperation. At 28, he was a cog in the corporate machine, grinding away at a dead-end job in a game development company. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, finishing a bug report due at midnight. Just one more task, he told himself, ignoring the pounding headache.
The clock struck 11:47 PM. Joon-soo leaned back, rubbing his temples. "One day, I'll escape this hell," he muttered, voice hoarse. He stood, stretching his aching back, and grabbed his jacket. A quick walk to the convenience store for another energy drink might keep him alive for the next deadline.
The streets of Seoul were quiet, the neon signs flickering in the autumn chill. Joon-soo's sneakers scuffed the pavement as he trudged toward the 24-hour mart. His phone buzzed—a message from his boss: Fix the patch by 6 AM or you're out. He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "As if I'd get any sleep anyway."
Headlights flashed. A truck barreled down the street, its horn blaring. Joon-soo froze, eyes wide. Time seemed to slow—his heart thumped, his legs refused to move. The truck's grille loomed closer, a steel beast ready to devour him.
No, not like this—
Impact. Pain exploded, then darkness swallowed him whole.
Joon-soo's consciousness flickered like a dying bulb. Was he dead? The void pressed against him, cold and infinite. Then, a voice—mechanical, emotionless—cut through the silence.
[System Activated: Welcome to the Regressor System.]
His eyes snapped open. Stone walls surrounded him, damp and cold, lit by flickering torches. He lay on a hard bed, a threadbare blanket scratching his skin. The air smelled of mold and old wood. His body felt… different. Lighter, yet weaker. He glanced at his hands—pale, callus-free, not his own.
"Where the hell am I?" he whispered, voice trembling.
A translucent blue screen materialized before him, floating like a hologram from one of his company's RPGs. Words glowed in crisp white text:
Status Window]
Name: Cassian Vael (Han Joon-soo)
Level: 1
Class: Regressor Initiate
Stats:
Strength: 10
Agility: 12
Intelligence: 15
Mana: 8
Luck: 5
RegressionPoints: 100/100
Skills: None
Titles: Disgraced Noble
Joon-soo blinked, his gamer instincts kicking in. "A system? Like an isekai game?" His mind raced. He'd read enough webnovels to know the drill: die, get reborn in a fantasy world, gain a cheat ability. But this felt too real—the cold stone, the ache in his bones, the faint sound of dripping water.
He swung his legs off the bed, noticing his clothes: a tattered tunic and trousers, far from his usual hoodie and jeans. Memories flooded in—not his, but Cassian Vael's, the body he now inhabited. A disgraced noble's son, mocked by his family, stripped of status, and sent to this crumbling estate in the Kingdom of Lirion. Eldoria, this world was called, a land of magic, monsters, and scheming aristocrats.
"Great," Joon-soo muttered. "From one hell to another."
A knock on the door startled him. A gruff voice called, "Cassian, you useless brat! Get to the hall—Lord Vael wants you at the banquet tonight!"
Joon-soo's stomach churned. Cassian's memories flashed: banquets meant humiliation, a chance for his siblings to flaunt their superiority. He stood, testing his new body. Weak, but agile. His Intelligence stat (15) suggested he could think his way out of trouble. Maybe.
The system pinged again:
[Quest: Survive the Noble's Banquet]
Objective: Attend the Vael family banquet without being humiliated or killed.
Reward: 100 EXP, 50 Regression Points, 1 Skill Point
Failure: Loss of Reputation, Possible Death
Joon-soo's jaw tightened. "Killed? At a banquet?" This world was brutal. But the system… it was his edge. He focused on the "Regression Points" line. No explanation, but 100 points sounded like a resource. He'd figure it out.
He stepped into the corridor, following a servant's directions to the main hall. The Vael estate was a decaying fortress, its tapestries faded, its floors scuffed. Servants whispered as he passed, their eyes dripping with contempt. "The failure," one muttered. "Still breathing," another sneered.
Joon-soo clenched his fists, channeling his Seoul grit. "Keep talking," he thought. "I've dealt with worse bosses."
The banquet hall was a stark contrast: glittering chandeliers, tables laden with roasted meats and wine. Nobles in silken robes laughed, their voices echoing. At the head table sat Lord Vael, a stern man with graying hair, and his eldest son, Roland, a smirking prodigy with a sword at his hip. Cassian's memories screamed: Roland loved tormenting him.
"Cassian!" Roland called, voice dripping with mockery. "You dare show your face? Sit, worm."
Joon-soo slid into a corner seat, avoiding eye contact. The system's quest pulsed in his mind: Survive without humiliation or death. Easy enough to stay quiet, but Roland's taunts grew louder. "Father, why keep this disgrace alive? He's a stain on the Vael name!"
Laughter erupted. Joon-soo's face burned, but he bit his tongue. He wasn't Cassian, not really. He was Joon-soo, who'd endured years of corporate bullying. He'd play their game—for now.
Dinner passed in a blur of insults. As guests dispersed, Roland cornered him near the stables. "Let's spar, brother," he sneered, drawing his sword. "Show me you're not useless."
Joon-soo's heart raced. Cassian's body had no training, and his stats were pitiful. "I'm not fighting you," he said, backing away.
"Coward!" Roland lunged, blade flashing.
Instinct kicked in. Joon-soo dodged, his 12 Agility barely saving him. The sword grazed his arm, blood welling. Pain seared, but he scrambled behind a hay bale. Roland laughed, advancing. "No escape, worm!"
Joon-soo's vision blurred. Roland's blade arced down, and—
Everything went black.
[Regression Activated: Rewinding 24 Hours. Cost: 50 Regression Points.]
Joon-soo gasped, sitting upright in the same stone bed. The torchlight flickered, the blanket scratched his skin. The system screen glowed:
[Regression Points: 50/100]
[Time Rewound: 24 Hours. Memories and Stats Retained.]
His arm was unscarred. The banquet hadn't happened yet. His mind replayed Roland's attack—every move, every smirk. "I get a do-over," Joon-soo whispered, a grin spreading. This was his cheat code.
The knock came again. "Cassian, to the hall!" the servant barked.
This time, Joon-soo prepared. He rummaged through Cassian's belongings, finding a rusty dagger. It wasn't much, but it was something. The system pinged:
[Skill Unlocked: Blade of Regret (Lv 1)]
Effect: Deal 10% extra damage per rewind in a single encounter. Cooldown: 1 hour.
"Perfect," he muttered. He headed to the banquet, keeping his head low but his mind sharp. Roland's taunts came as expected, but Joon-soo stayed silent, memorizing the hall's layout—exits, shadows, potential weapons.
After dinner, Roland cornered him again. "Spar, coward!" The sword flashed.
Joon-soo was ready. He ducked, using the hay bale as cover, and slashed with the dagger. Blade of Regret hummed, the blade glowing faintly blue. It nicked Roland's wrist, drawing blood. Roland yelped, stumbling back.
"You dare?" Roland roared, charging.
Joon-soo dodged again, but his foot caught on a root. The sword pierced his chest. Pain exploded, and darkness claimed him.
[Regression Activated: Rewinding 24 Hours. Cost: 50 Regression Points.]
Joon-soo woke, gasping, in the stone bed. The system flashed:
[Regression Points: 0/100]
[Warning: Insufficient Points for Further Rewinds. Regeneration: 1 Point/Hour.]
His heart pounded. No more rewinds for now. He'd have to survive the banquet and Roland's ambush with what he'd learned. The dagger felt heavier in his hand, Blade of Regret now at 20% extra damage from two rewinds.
As he stood, the system pinged again, its cold text glowing ominously:
[Hidden Quest Received: Uncover the System's Sender]
Objective: Discover who or what granted you the Regressor System.
Reward: Unknown
Failure: Unknown
Joon-soo froze, staring at the screen. "Who's behind this?" he whispered. The banquet loomed, Roland's blade waited, and now a mystery dangled over him like a guillotine. He gripped the dagger, determination hardening his gaze.
"I'll survive this. And I'll find out who's pulling the strings."
End of chapter 1