[2103, Third Epoch] [The Land of Martial Arts – Murim]
In a distant land unknown to many, one building stood taller than the others. If one looked closer at the roof of the building, an old man was lying there, bruised, battered, and covered in blood.
Blood continuously flowed from his back; a cut from a sword slash was visible through his torn clothes.
"To think I was a frog in the well. Hahaha…"
The old man felt a tremor of emotions. He was thrilled by his discovery, but the pain kept him from fully feeling it. He could not even move properly.
A few people arrived near him.
"Not dead yet? Any other mortal would have died at that moment," a woman standing at the center of the group spoke. She had a black veil covering her face.
Her face held no expressions, but inside she felt pity toward the bleeding old man.
Cough!
The old man coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Throughout his life, he had no regrets until now. He got to take glimpse of power beyond him and yet he was going to die a dog's death.
"If this is what heaven wills, then I shall seal the heavens in my next life…"
Stab!
A sword stabbed into his heart.
The women stabbed him in his heart and put the old man out of his misery.
Just like that, the man known as the Sword God had perished.
---
[2135, July 11, 12:00 AM] [Earth]
A boy was sleeping soundly in his bedroom.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes wide as if awakened by a nightmare.
"Where am I?"
The boy spoke as he looked at the unfamiliar ceiling above him.
"Didn't I die? Where is this place… my head…"
A sudden pain took over his head as if it were being crushed from all sides.
"This… whose memories are these?"
He grabbed his head with his hands. It was a natural reaction to grab where it hurt.
After some time, the pain disappeared.
He was sweating heavily, his breathing uneven and labored.
"Haa… Haa… To think… I have been reincarnated."
---
[Eon 2130, The Island Continent] [Ilarus]
Surrounded by monsters on all sides, a man stood at the center.
After fighting for countless days, he was near the edge of his life. His eyes were barely open due to fatigue.
A monster about three meters tall charged at him.
The man's body moved peculiarly, slaying the monster effortlessly with his sword.
"You are an interesting one," a monster spoke in the language of humans.
The man looked toward the source of the voice, shocked.
"How can you speak, monster?" he questioned the monster far away from the circle.
The monster was unlike any he had seen. It stood two meters farther away, enjoying the show, surrounded by elite monsters.
A normal monster was about two meters tall. An elite monster was three meters tall with a more muscular build. However, this monster was slim and short, with a build like that of a man with scales and fins.
The monster did not answer.
It walked toward him slowly and lightly swung its delicate-looking claw.
The man placed his sword in position to defend.
Clang!
"This… what strength…"
The lazy blow from the scaled monster was heavy—heavier than any blow he had taken in his life.
He knew at the moment they clashed that he could not win, even at full strength.
He mustered his strength and deflected the swing with all his might.
His sword was durable. It was made by smelting the pristine layers of scales from one hundred elite monsters. It could easily slice an elite monster like butter.
And yet, at this moment—
Crack!
The sword made a sound unfamiliar to him.
For the second time in his life, he felt despair. Hopelessness.
Unknown to him, the scaled monster was also shocked. It had intended to kill him with the swing, even if it was a lazy one.
"You are indeed interesting for a human. Tell me how you want to die."
The man stood leisurely. He relaxed his stance and stood quietly, remembering a part of his past—a memory of his old comrade.
"If I were to die, as a knight, I would like to die in a battle surrounded by monsters, and as I slay them all, I would finally collapse and take my last breath. Yes, that is how I would like to die."
He remembered his friend had spoken those words before. That friend was long dead.
"How ironic," the man said, startling the monster.
"Monster, you ask me how I would like to die, huh?" the man said with a smirk.
He recalled his memories again.
"Bro, what about you? How would you like to die?" his friend asked.
"Me? Well…"
The man looked dead serious into the monster's eyes.
"I want to die a glorious death by being pressed between two humongous breasts and crushed till I suffocate to death. You can't fulfill this can you, monster?" the man shouted with his back straight, his sword hilted on the ground, helded by both his hands in the handle.
He looked like a dazzling knight who spoke chivalrous words.
The monster was shocked beyond belief. A slight blush appeared on its face indicating a hint of embarrassment.
"Vulgar human. Die!"
The monster spoke as it swung its tail with twice the force of its previous attack.
The man could not react. His head was cut off from his neck in a flash.
As his head fell, he witnessed his body collapse, blood spurting from his neck.
"Fuck…"
One-tenth of a second later, he died.
The strongest knight of the Kingdom of Ilarus had fallen in battle.
---
[Year 2135, June 17, 1:12 PM] [Earth]
Jake Morrow was a native citizen of the United States. He had a proper build, stood 6 feet 3 inches tall, and had a face that could charm any onlooker. Life was good for him.
Almost too good.
[Attention, Earth! A trial for ascension is about to be conducted. A series of random humans are selected who will be called "Players." All players will have access to an information panel when subjected to the "Playground," otherwise called the "Dream World." Complete the game to ascend yourself and your planet.]
Panic!
"Did they plant microchips in our brains?"
"Is this really happening? Am I in a web novel?"
"Mom, I'm scared."
"Zehahaha. Mugiwaraaaa."
The world was in an uproar. All sorts of reactions were displayed by everyone on Earth.
Unknown to that, a few people were oblivious to the confusion portrayed by the masses. They had their own matters to deal with.
One of them was Jake, a regular 16-year-old high schooler.
It happened too suddenly. Not only Jake, but the other players also found it hard to grasp the situation.
Some panicked. Some thought they were dreaming. Some cried, while others laughed. Some were excited, while others began to despair.
It was natural.
Jake was one of those who thought they were dreaming.
"This dream feels real, not gonna lie," Jake thought as he picked his nose with his pinky.
His nonchalant and impulsive behavior shocked everyone in the crowd. This was complete disrespect toward his opponent.
"Oh, looks like I'm fighting." Jake stopped picking his nose and looked straight ahead.
The man in front of him was holding a sword, ready to engage. He had an unpleasantly ugly face. One could easily tell that he got no bitches. Not with that face.
The ugly guy already disliked Jake due to his inferiority complex. After Jake picked his nose nonchalantly, that crossed his limit.
"You think you can win easily and farm aura to rizz up them ladies? You dare think of me as a stepping stone?" the ugly man shouted angrily.
"What the hell is he talking about? Is he an idiot?" Jake thought, finding it funny.
"I guess I should follow the script."
Jake stepped forward, thrusting one arm out. He curled his fingers inward in a sharp motion, his expression daring and challenging as he said, "Come at me."
"COURTING DEATH!!" the ugly man shouted and lunged toward Jake with his sword.
"This…" Jake was shocked.
The man smirked. "Can't handle my speed, can you?"
"What is this moron saying?" Jake was initially shocked because the man had used those two legendary words. The ugly moron assumed Jake was startled.
"I guess I am in a cultivation-based dream, which means I have to make him cough up a mouthful of fresh blood," Jake thought with a smirk.
The man panicked. Jake's smirk had scared him.
He was about to strike Jake with his sword but held back and retreated backwards.
Jake was holding a sword in his hand. He lifted it and teased, "What's wrong? Scared? I thought you were going to strike me."
This was a taunt.
The man was angry, even though he was a trained swordsman.
"I have to calm down. However, no matter how much I look, all I see are openings. Why is he so confident?"
"If you are not coming, I will," Jake spoke with confidence as he charged forward with his sword.
What a dream. Now I will cut his throat and gain all the glory. Hehe.
His words startled the ugly man, who quickly braced himself for an attack. But—
"What the hell?"
Not only the ugly guy, but the whole crowd was shocked—everyone except Jake.
Inside, Jake felt calm and heroic, living out the fantasy of his dream. He didn't realize this was reality… until reality struck.
Too slow!
"This guy is too slow. Is this a trick?" the ugly man thought. The crowd had mixed reactions, unsure if this was part of a plan.
One hour later…
After what seemed like an eternity to the crowd, Jake finally reached the ugly man and swung his sword. The crowd anticipated something spectacular. Jake's confidence was unwavering.
"This…" the ugly man had begun expecting his defeat.
Slow Strike!
The ugly man did not care less if it was a trick and reacted quickly, finding an opening to counter. Jake's gut took the hit.
Jake, certain of his victory, suddenly felt sharp pain. Within the time his sword reached towards the ugly guy's neck, the guy had swiftly dodged and landed his own strike on Jake.
It hit! The ugly man was surprised.
Swoosh!
With a swift motion, Jake was thrown backward, crashing twenty meters away into a wall.
BLURGH!
He vomited a mouthful of fresh blood and collapsed.
Life no not good to him starting today.