The first thing I heard was the buzzing of a fan.
No fire.No screams.No collapsing sky.
Just the faint hum of old machinery in a cramped apartment room I thought I'd left behind years ago.
I sat up fast, my chest heaving, my hand instinctively searching for my weapon—only to grab nothing but thin sheets. My eyes darted around, drinking in the peeling wallpaper, the crooked desk piled with cheap textbooks, the cracked mirror by the wall.
No… this couldn't be.
I stumbled toward the mirror. The reflection that stared back wasn't the twenty-six-year-old hunter who had faced Surtr with bloodied hands.
It was me.But nineteen.
My face was leaner, my skin smooth, no scars etched across my jaw. My eyes—still dark, still restless—looked younger, unburdened by seven years of battles.
"Regression…" I whispered, the word tasting like fire on my tongue.
Seven years before the end.Seven years before Surtr's blade split the sky.
I staggered back, clutching my head as memories collided—the despair of Ragnarok, the suffocating heat of Surtr's flames, the endless corpses of hunters and civilians alike.
And then, just as violently, the cold certainty of this moment.
I hadn't gone back to being a powerless child.No. I was nineteen again—already awakened, already strong enough to fight.
This wasn't mercy.It was a challenge.
My gaze fell on the desk. Old notebooks lay scattered, their pages filled with notes I had once scribbled in obsession: Norse myths, Nine Realms, the end of the gods. Back then, everyone laughed at me for wasting time on legends while dungeons and guild exams decided our future.
But I knew better now.
The myths weren't stories.They were prophecies.
I clenched my fist.
The first Gate raid would happen in just a few weeks.A guild would rise from it. A betrayal would follow.And monsters hidden in dungeons would grow stronger if left unchecked.
I knew it all.Every secret, every treasure, every blade that could change the future.
This time, I wouldn't crawl.This time, I wouldn't watch helplessly as guilds stole what should've been mine.
Seven years.Seven years to prepare for Ragnarok.
And I would use every second.
That's when it happened.
A soundless chime echoed in my skull—clear, metallic, and impossible.[Ding.]
My vision flickered.For a heartbeat, I thought I was hallucinating from regression shock. But then, green text etched itself across the air in front of me, glowing faintly like starlight.
[Initializing… Gaia System.][Binding complete.][Welcome, Kang Jin-ho.]
I froze.
"…What?"
No one else could see it. The room was empty, silent, but the words hung in the air, shifting and rearranging into neat lines only I could read.
[You have been chosen as the Executor.][Authority granted: Observe, Guide, Hunt.]
My breath caught.
A system. Not the artificial hunter interfaces the Guild Association developed, not the stat crystals or rank meters everyone relied on. This was different—raw, ancient, alive.
Almost as if the world itself was speaking.
"…Gaia," I muttered, testing the name as it flickered again.
[Correct. I am Gaia.][The Primordial Realm has recognized your regression.][Together, we shall prevent the fall of the Nine Realms.]
My blood ran cold.So it wasn't just regression. I hadn't been sent back by chance.
Something—or someone—wanted me to fight Ragnarok head-on.
And it had given me the perfect weapon:A system only I could see.
I grinned, a sharp, almost feral smile breaking across my face.
"Good," I whispered. "Let's rewrite the end together."
[Quest Generated: First Step of the Executor]
Survive the first Gate.
Claim the hidden artifact within.
Reward: Authority Unlock (Lv.1).
The words pulsed before my eyes like the beating of a war drum.
Seven years until Ragnarok.But my second life had already begun.
The green text shimmered in the air like constellations rearranging themselves into words only I could see.
[Executor, synchronization begins.][Please remain still.]
A sudden weight pressed against my chest, like invisible chains tightening around my body. My vision blurred, my ears rang, and for a terrifying moment I thought my heart had stopped.
Then, a second chime.The pressure vanished.
[Synchronization complete.][Status unlocked.]
The air rippled, and a new screen unfolded before me:
Name: Kang Jin-hoAge: 19Authority: Executor of Gaia (Lv.0)Stats:
Strength: 32
Agility: 28
Vitality: 30
Magic: 41
Perception: 55
Unique Traits:
Regression (Bound)
Mythic Knowledge (Hidden)
System Functions Available:
Observe
Quest
Authority Growth
I stared.
This… wasn't the hunter "stat board" I remembered. Back then, everything was simplified into ranks—E through SSS, measured by Guild devices. What Gaia showed me was deeper, sharper. Like peeling back the surface of the world to see the bones underneath.
"Authority of the Executor…" I muttered, scrolling through the glowing words.
[Observe: Allows identification of beings, artifacts, and Gates beyond standard limits.][Quest: Tailored missions that align with the balance of Nine Realms.][Authority Growth: Evolve powers through quests and achievements.]
It was almost laughable.Hunters clawed their way up, desperate for scraps of strength, while I now had a path that bent the rules themselves.
[First Quest: Survive the First Gate]
Hidden Objective: Claim the Fragment of Yggdrasil.
Time Limit: 12 days.
A map burned into my vision, a glowing marker flashing over the city outskirts where the very first Gate would appear.
My pulse quickened.
That Gate… in my previous life, it was nothing but a training ground. A weak dungeon where rookie hunters learned to swing a sword. Everyone dismissed it.
But Gaia whispered of a treasure buried inside.A fragment of Yggdrasil—the world tree of the Nine Realms.
No guild had ever found it.No record ever mentioned it.
Which meant it was mine alone.
I closed the screen, breathing heavily. My lips curled into a grin.
Regression. Gaia. Yggdrasil.
Seven years until Ragnarok, and I was already walking a path no one else could see.
"This time," I whispered to the empty room, "I won't just survive. I'll hunt fate itself."
And the voice of Gaia answered, soft and absolute:
[Then begin, Executor.]
I stood in front of the mirror, staring at a face that wasn't supposed to exist anymore.
Nineteen.No scars, no bloodshot eyes from sleepless nights, no haunted expression of a ranker who watched the world collapse. Just a boy—young, sharp-eyed, brimming with the kind of arrogance only youth allowed.
But behind my gaze, I carried the memories of a corpse-filled battlefield.
"…Feels strange."
I tightened the straps of the training bag slung over my shoulder. Inside were basic supplies—gloves, athletic clothes, a dull training dagger. Pathetic by ranker standards. But I wasn't going to flaunt what I had yet.
No, not yet.
The first step was to slip back into the flow of the hunter society. To wear the mask of an ordinary awakened, until Gaia's quests gave me the foundation to crush everyone.
The Association building loomed over the district like a fortress of glass and steel. Shuttles came and went, packed with wide-eyed teenagers and nervous parents. The Awakening Center—that was what they called it.
I remembered this place all too well.
The first time, I came here broken. Orphaned, penniless, clinging to the faint hope that awakening would save me from being trampled under the feet of guilds and corrupt politicians.
This time, I walked through the sliding doors with steady steps.
"Next!"A bored clerk waved me over. She wore the Association's standard white uniform, hair tied back in a neat bun.
"Name?""Kang Jin-ho.""Age?""Nineteen.""Identification?"
I handed over my student ID. She scanned it, then gestured toward a room behind her.
"Awakening test room six. Follow the staff inside. If you manifest an ability, your hunter license will be processed immediately."
I nodded and entered.
The chamber was just as I remembered—sterile, circular, with a crystal core glowing faintly in the center. In my past life, this moment was nerve-wracking. Every teenager dreamed of awakening, but most walked out ordinary.
I pressed my palm against the crystal.Warmth spread through my arm, sinking into my veins like fire.
Then came the light.
A flare of mana erupted, filling the chamber with a dazzling glow. The staff member monitoring the screen gasped.
"…Reading is… extremely high!" she stammered. "Not just awakened… potential S-rank—no, it's fluctuating beyond the scale!"
I smiled faintly. Of course it was. Gaia's authority was rewriting even the basic tests.
But I couldn't afford to draw too much attention yet. With a thought, I whispered inwardly:
Gaia… suppress it.
[Confirmed.]The glow dimmed instantly, the readings dropping to a steady, manageable level.
The staff frowned, confused."…Strange. For a second, it spiked… but your baseline is B-rank. Stable."
She handed me a license card, freshly printed with my name on it.Hunter Rank: B
B-rank. Laughable to most guilds.But perfect for me.
Hidden beneath the mask of mediocrity, I carried the strength of a future ranker and the authority of Gaia.
I tucked the card into my wallet and walked out of the chamber, lips curving into a thin smile.
Step one was complete.
That's when a voice called out.
"Hey, you."
A man in a cheap suit leaned against the wall, eyeing me with a grin too wide to trust.
"You just awakened, right? Our guild's recruiting fresh blood. What do you say, kid?"
I froze, my fingers brushing the edge of my new card.
A guild… already?
The man's grin didn't waver."Name's Choi Sang-min. Valhalla Guild."
Valhalla.
I almost laughed. In my past life, that name had been spat like poison. Seven S-rank hunters, gone overnight. A scandal that shook the world. Everyone called them traitors. Monsters hiding in plain sight.
But that was later. Right now? Valhalla was nothing. A small guild with big dreams.
And yet—those seven were real. They had existed. Valhalla's training facilities had existed. And I remembered whispers that their methods could turn iron into steel.
The lie wasn't Valhalla's strength.The lie was their downfall.
"You're recruiting?" I asked, keeping my voice flat.
"Of course. We spot talent early. I saw your reading." His grin widened. "Don't play dumb. You're more than a B-rank, aren't you? Come train with us. We'll make you into something greater."
I narrowed my eyes. He wasn't wrong. Even with Gaia suppressing my output, someone sharp would notice.
Still… joining them meant walking into a guild doomed to burn.But avoiding them meant losing the one place that could sharpen me faster than any Association school.
A risk.But wasn't regression all about risk?
Gaia's voice hummed in the back of my head.
[Branching Path Detected.][Choice 1: Reject Valhalla. Proceed independently.][Choice 2: Join Valhalla. Unlock "Seven Shadows" route.]
My pulse quickened.So even Gaia wanted me to decide.
"…Valhalla, huh?" I muttered. "Show me what you've got."
The man's grin turned sharp, satisfied."Good choice, kid. Welcome to Valhalla."
[Quest Updated: Path of the Executor]
Condition unlocked: Valhalla Guild.
Hidden route engaged.
I clenched my fist.
This time, Valhalla wouldn't fall.Not if I could rewrite their fate.
Park Hae-rin (박해린) — The Tomboy
Age: 21. Short hair, practical, scuffed boots.
Vibe: Brutal, direct, laughs too loud. Protects underdogs.
Combat: Close-quarters brawler — dual short blades + raw stamina.
Hook: Sees Jin-ho as "that quiet kid who doesn't beg" — fast trust, faster loyalty.
Lim Seo-yeon (임서연) — Bossy but Kind-Hearted
Age: 22. Sharp eyes, stands straight, orders people around.
Vibe: Demanding leader-energy, secretly soft to teammates.
Combat: Tactical mage-knight — rune control + formation magic.
Hook: Pushes others hard; will push Jin-ho even harder if he joins Valhalla.
Kim Yoon-ah (김윤아) — The Cool/Perfect Technician
Age: 20. Calm face, near-flawless technique, surgical strikes.
Vibe: Quiet perfectionist; gets angry when things are sloppy.
Combat: Precision sorcery + short spear — "one cut, one kill."
Hook: Secretly studies mythic patterns (a red flag for Jin-ho).
Boys
Lee Min-jae (이민재) — The Shy, Perfect Boy
Age: 20. Soft voice, polite, absurdly skilled; smiles rarely.
Vibe: "Perfect" in posture/technique; awkward socially.
Combat: Defensive master — shield arts + counterplay, near-invulnerable in duels.
Hook: People underestimate his darkness; Jin-ho recognizes that edge.
Jung Hyun-woo (정현우) — Charismatic Leader Type
Age: 23. Tall, easy grin, rallying presence.
Vibe: Natural center of a team; everyone follows him without thinking.
Combat: Balanced swordsman — adaptability + inspiring aura that buffs allies.
Hook: Future face of Valhalla; his rise will be the guild's public pillar.
Song Ji-ho (송지호) — Brooding Powerhouse
Age: 24. Quiet, cold stare; moves like a coiled thing.
Vibe: Scary calm. Hits like a wrecking ball.
Combat: Heavy weapon specialist — single-target annihilator.
Hook: Won't speak until provoked; Jin-ho's first real spar will reveal a secret link.
(Not one of leadership) — Park Tae-jun (박태준) — Hotshot Tech/Arms
Age: 22. Fast, flashy, overconfident.
Vibe: Shows off; actually backs it up.
Combat: Trap-and-gadget specialist — turns battlefield into his plaything.
Hook: Reckless but genius; creates openings others can exploit.
Valhalla Leadership
Guild Master — Jang Tae-wook (장태욱)
Age: late 40s. Stone-faced legend. Official, iron doctrine.
Reputation: Made Valhalla's mold; publicly inspiring and severe in private.
Role: Oversees long-term vision; the "face" who can open access to gates.
Vice Guild Master — Choi Sang-min (최상민) — the headphone/gum man
Age: early 30s. Always with earbuds around his neck, gum in mouth; casual suit.
Vibe: Slick recruiter, approachable but sharp; reads people like files.
Role: Field commander and talent scout. He's the man who cheekily approached Jin-ho at the Association. Expect him to be everywhere — mentor, provocateur, and the one who'll push the seven into the limelight.
Note/foreshadow: In Jin-ho's previous life these seven became Valhalla's crown: seven S-rank hunters. Later they were publicly disgraced and executed — a scandal that toppled Valhalla. Jin-ho already knows both their glory and their fate. That knowledge colours every move: who to trust, who to manipulate, and who to protect.
The Association test was nothing. Paperwork, mana check, done.
What mattered was the name on the invitation card: Valhalla.
In his past life, this building had been their cradle. Seven hunters, one guild, then a scandal that burned them out of history. Now they were just kids — and Kang Jin-ho was the only one who knew what they would become.
He pushed open the training hall doors.
BANG! A wooden dummy shattered, splinters flying.
"Too weak," Park Hae-rin spat, shaking her twin blades. The tomboy grinned, wiping sweat from her chin.
"Focus on control, not showing off," Lim Seo-yeon snapped from the other side. The bossy mage-knight stood with arms crossed, already acting like she owned the place.
Across the mat, Kim Yoon-ah calmly thrust her spear through a target's core. Not a wasted motion. Perfect, clinical.
In the corner, Lee Min-jae flinched when someone called his name, then raised his shield with flawless form. Shy, polite… and terrifyingly precise.
Behind him, Jung Hyun-woo's laugh carried, rallying the group as if he were already their captain. "Come on! One more round!"
Song Ji-ho didn't laugh. He just lifted his massive hammer and split the floor with a single swing. Silence followed.
Then came Park Tae-jun, tossing a gadget that blew smoke through the hall. "Oops. My bad." Grinning, reckless.
Seven kids. Seven futures.Seven names Jin-ho had already carved into memory.
"New recruit?" a voice drawled.
Choi Sang-min leaned against the wall, gum snapping, headphones around his neck. Vice Guild Master. In Jin-ho's last life, this man had recruited them all.
Now his sharp eyes fixed on Jin-ho.
"Well? Are you here to train, or just stare?"
Jin-ho's fingers tightened. The future of Valhalla stood before him. In his last life, they rose as S-ranks. In this life…
He smiled faintly.
This time, I decide what Valhalla becomes.
THE END OF CHAPTER ONE