Chapter 1: Rebirth Begins

Peace had come to the world.

Everyone praised Lee Han and celebrated the birth of a hero.

But while the world rejoiced—

The man at the center of it all could not.

“Hyunseong…”

The despair of not being able to bring his brother back to life.

That despair tormented Lee Han endlessly.

“Damn it.”

He had assumed that if he kept completing quests, he would eventually succeed.

‘I still couldn’t do it after all.’

Now, there was nothing left he could do.

If there were even one more impossibly difficult quest to attempt—even if it cost him his life—he wouldn’t feel so empty.

But this… this felt like a cruel joke from the gods.

‘If it had been clearly impossible from the beginning, that would’ve been better…’

It felt like he had failed by a margin as thin as a sheet of paper.

A single quest could’ve changed everything.

So close… and yet so far.

The frustration was maddening.

‘Just one transcendental-level quest…’

That’s all it would take to revive his brother.

‘One more quest.’

That was all he needed.

The thought kept looping in his mind and wouldn’t let go.

He resented the gates that no longer opened, and the monster waves that no longer appeared.

And soon, he began to feel a deep sense of self-loathing.

While Lee Han needed a transcendental quest to save his brother, such quests were deadly—often claiming the lives of countless others.

The guilt and contradiction of it all twisted in his head.

He felt like he was going insane.

So, he kept walking.

Step. Step.

He didn’t know how long he had walked.

Eventually, he stopped in a city reduced to rubble.

***

Collapsed buildings.

A silence so heavy that no one ever came here anymore.

This place—this desolate ruin—was somewhere Lee Han always returned to when his heart felt heavy.

Because there was one friend here he could open up to.

This friend had helped him countless times, offering wisdom when he needed it most.

And this time, Lee Han came again, hoping—just maybe—that he could help once more.

Not because Lee Han expected him to resurrect the dead.

No matter how great his friend was, he didn’t have the power to control life and death.

But right now, Lee Han needed someone—someone he could confide in.

Someone who could share in his sorrow.

Someone who would mourn the peace of this world with him.

“Yggdrasil…”

Lee Han lifted his head.

A single, magnificent tree glowing brilliantly stood before him.

[You’ve come, my dear friend.]

Yggdrasil was the World Tree that Lee Han had painstakingly acquired during the world-saving quest.

It was essential to restoring the broken world.

Lee Han had planted it, nurtured it, and protected it with his life.

Through all that, they had become true friends.

Thud—

As always, Lee Han sat down beside Yggdrasil and silently closed his eyes.

Yggdrasil spoke slowly.

[My old friend… peace has come. Then why do you weep?]

The gentle voice of Yggdrasil echoed in Lee Han’s ears.

Hearing the concern in his friend’s tone, Lee Han responded.

“You think I’m crying? Is that how it looks to you…?”

[Of course. No matter how I look at it, your face is one of sorrow.]

Lee Han gave a bitter smile.

“Is that so…”

[My friend, what troubles you?]

After a brief pause, Lee Han opened his mouth.

“You’re the first one I’m telling this to.”

Everyone else treated him like a hero.

He hadn’t been able to say this to anyone.

The reason why he had risked his life and fought so desperately.

His sorrow.

“You know what, Yggdrasil?”

[Know what?]

“The truth is… I’m not as noble as everyone thinks I am.”

Yggdrasil waited quietly for him to continue, and Lee Han’s bitter voice filled the empty space.

“People say I risked my life to save the world—that I’m some kind of selfless hero. But… I’ve never once thought about saving the world.”

“I’m just like everyone else—calculating, selfish, chasing what benefits me.”

He spoke in a hollow but steady voice, and Yggdrasil listened without interruption.

The tree understood what Lee Han was trying to say.

And once his story ended—

Yggdrasil finally spoke.

[But even if you had your reasons, my friend… I believe your accomplishments should never be diminished.]

A self-deprecating smile formed on Lee Han’s lips.

“But those accomplishments mean nothing to me now.”

[You brought peace to the world. Countless people have found happiness because of you.]

Lee Han shook his head.

“Not me. I have no peace. I completed all the quests, and yet… I still couldn’t save my brother.”

“World peace? What use is that to me?”

His emotions flared, and Lee Han took a deep breath to calm himself.

Truthfully, he hadn’t planned to talk about his brother with Yggdrasil.

But the words just spilled out.

He had lost control of his emotions.

Yggdrasil looked momentarily surprised by what Lee Han had just revealed.

[Your brother? The one you used to mention often?]

Lee Han nodded awkwardly and answered.

“Yeah… him.”

[So, you still haven’t brought him back yet.]

He resumed speaking, his expression resigned.

It wasn’t something he couldn’t talk about anymore.

“He said he saved the world, but there were no more quests. I kept pressing him, but the Mediator…”

“…Kept saying the same thing.”

Upon hearing this, Yggdrasil finally realized the true reason why Lee Han was so troubled.

—[The Resurrection Scroll. You don’t have enough merit points to buy it, do you?]

“That’s right, Yggdrasil.”

And so, Yggdrasil felt relieved.

Because he believed he might know one way for his only friend to escape his anguish.

—[My friend.]

“Tell me, Yggdrasil.”

—[Have you ever thought about doing quests in another world?]

“What…?”

Lee Han’s eyes widened in shock at Yggdrasil’s words.

Another world.

It was an idea that had never occurred to him.

Lee Han hurriedly asked Yggdrasil, “What do you mean, another world?”

Yggdrasil paused for a moment, then answered Lee Han’s question.

—[Did you know? There isn’t just one world. There are countless worlds, like grains of sand in the sea… I, too, once lived an ordinary life in one of those many worlds. I was a human, just like you. Though that was in my previous life…]

“Previous life…?”

Lee Han couldn’t hide his surprise.

The fact that Yggdrasil had once been human.

As if expecting that reaction, Yggdrasil nonchalantly continued his explanation.

—[In our world, there wasn’t a single person as powerful as you. That was when I first learned how miserable it is to be powerless. My comrades and I resisted, but in the end, our world was destroyed. As the last survivor, the goddess granted me mercy and allowed me to reincarnate in this form.]

His voice trembled slightly, as if recalling distant memories.

Lee Han had no words.

He finally understood why Yggdrasil had always tried to uplift him.

Yggdrasil had longed to live… but couldn’t.

Now, he merely existed in this form.

Someone like that couldn’t bring himself to deny Lee Han’s achievements.

—[You don’t need to make that face, my friend. Everyone has their own story, and each life has its own purpose, doesn’t it?]

Without a word, Lee Han placed his hand on the base of Yggdrasil.

Watching him, Yggdrasil continued his story.

—[I’ve talked too long. Back to the point: I, too, was once chosen—just like you. I took on quests and fought for the sake of my world. I don’t need to explain what that means, do I?]

The moment Yggdrasil finished speaking, a glint appeared in Lee Han’s eyes.

“Is that… really true?”

A new possibility.

A world other than this one… where quests also existed.

But Yggdrasil’s words didn’t end there.

If there was even a chance to save his brother, Lee Han would do anything.

“Looks like I’m relying on you again.”

It was as if he had found a single thread of light in the dark.

From that moment, Lee Han began to move quickly.

“Sorry, but I have to go now.”

—[No need to apologize, my friend. Just knowing you’ve found your resolve is enough for me. I wish you luck.]

Lee Han bid farewell to Yggdrasil and pulled out a Soulstone from his inventory.

There was still a way to save his brother.

He didn’t yet know what that was…

But the fact that a possibility existed completely changed the look in his eyes.

With hope in his heart, Lee Han used the Soulstone.

Flash!

A stream of light wrapped around Lee Han’s body.

In an instant, he vanished from that place.

***

When Lee Han opened his eyes, a vast white space spread out before him.

A dazzling, radiant heavenly realm.

A floor made entirely of clouds.

And beyond it, a beautiful, massive castle stood.

The castle walls were encrusted with countless jewels.

At the top of the walls, flags bearing the emblem of the heavens fluttered, made of pure gold.

He figured the inside of the castle would be even more dazzling.

But Lee Han wasn’t allowed inside.

He was permitted only to stand at the entrance.

A middle-aged man with snow-white hair stood at the castle gate.

And as Lee Han approached, the man spoke bluntly.

“Calling on me again? I told you. There are no more quests.”

Lee Han shook his head.

“No. I came to use the shop.”

The Mediator frowned at Lee Han’s reply.

Then, with an annoyed look, he brought up the shop menu in front of Lee Han’s eyes.

Lee Han began carefully examining the shop’s contents.

‘The Mediator’s shop has everything. If other worlds really exist… then there must be an item that can send me there.’

He currently had over 900 million merit points, and one Conqueror Coin he received for saving the world.

Even with all that, he couldn’t buy the Resurrection Scroll.

But traveling to another world might be possible.

Especially among the items that could only be purchased with Conqueror Coins, there were many bizarre and powerful things.

Even as his throat dried up from tension, Lee Han combed through the shop with blazing eyes.

‘There has to be something…’

***

And after a while—

[Immortal Rice Cake – 2 coins]

[Soul Awakening Paper – 1 coin]

[Elixir of Return – 1 coin]

Items that could only be bought with Conqueror Coins began to catch his eye.

‘Let’s go through them one by one, carefully.’

When he had only been searching for the Resurrection Scroll, he hadn’t noticed these.

But now, looking properly, there were unbelievable items listed.

In some ways, even more absurd in power than the Resurrection Scroll.

Then, one particular item caught Lee Han’s attention.

“Rebirth Elixir?”

[Price: 1 Conqueror Coin.]

Lee Han immediately checked the item’s details.

[<Rebirth Elixir> -Rank: SSS -Type: Quest Conqueror Item -Effect: Transfers the soul within your current body to another body in a different world. The destination body must belong to someone fated to die or someone who has abandoned their body. -Note: With just one elixir, you can begin a new life.]

Lee Han clenched his fists tightly.

The Rebirth Elixir.

An item that could take him to another world.

If it worked, it could reignite the dying flame of hope.

Lee Han decided to confirm a few things with the Mediator.

“Mediator.”

“Speak.”

“If I use this Rebirth Elixir to go to another world… can I still use the shop over there?”

The Mediator nodded.

“This shop trades with your soul’s data. Even if your body changes, your soul’s merit points remain the same.”

Lee Han stared at the Rebirth Elixir, deep in thought.

‘That means I can keep accumulating merit points even after reincarnating? Then… the ridiculous prices in this shop finally make sense.’

He had already saved a world.

So there shouldn’t be any other way to earn more merit points than that—

Unless there were multiple worlds.

The fact that some items in the shop were still far beyond his reach, even after saving the world, may have been a hidden hint all along.

He blamed himself for not realizing it sooner.

“Then… just one more question.”

The Mediator looked at Lee Han in silence.

Lee Han interpreted that look correctly—it meant, “Ask if you must.”

He took a breath and asked, “If I use the Rebirth Elixir, what happens to my current body?”

The Mediator stayed silent for a moment, then suddenly gestured with his hand.

A holographic window, similar to the inventory, popped up before Lee Han’s eyes.

[As a Quest Conqueror, your body slots have been unlocked.]

“When you use the Rebirth Elixir, your current body is stored in this vault.”

Listening to the explanation, Lee Han inspected the body slots.

Each time he used the Rebirth Elixir, his previous body would be safely stored.

Which meant he could add more bodies each time he saved a world.

‘Then there’s nothing to worry about.’

However, returning to his original body would require purchasing the Elixir of Return with another Conqueror Coin.

In other words, once he crossed over to another world, he wouldn’t be able to come back until he saved it.

‘A long journey awaits me.’

It felt like taking the long way around—but if it meant saving his brother, he didn’t care.

He had conquered every quest in this world.

There was no reason he couldn’t do it again.

There was only one catch—where he would start was entirely random.

That was the price he had to pay for crossing into another world.

“A body on the brink of death, huh…”

The Mediator seemed amused by his muttering and added an explanation.

“Once you die, it’s over. You’ll be forcibly returned to your original world. By the way, you get 1 to 3 Conqueror Coins depending on the difficulty of the world you save.”

Lee Han currently had only one Conqueror Coin.

It seemed the world he had saved wasn’t all that difficult.

Which meant… he only had one shot at reincarnation.

If he failed, he might never be able to save his brother.

‘That guy, being chatty all of a sudden…’

To Lee Han, the information was essential—but to the Mediator, it was a form of entertainment.

The sly smirk on his face made that clear.

‘He’s just trying to rattle me. He enjoys this sort of thing.’

Lee Han narrowed his eyes, then turned back to the Rebirth Elixir.

‘There’s no choice for me anyway.’

If it was to save his brother…

There were no more quests in this world.

He couldn’t buy the Resurrection Scroll here.

He would have to start everything over with a new body.

His level, his items, his skills, even his equipment—everything would be gone.

Lee Han thought back to when he first became a hunter.

The first time he awakened and began fighting…

There were many trials, but he had overcome them all and come this far.

Starting again wouldn’t be the same as before.

He had the experience now.

And he had confidence.

Lee Han tapped on the Rebirth Elixir in the shop menu.

[Conqueror Coin has been used.]

[Rebirth Elixir has been added to your inventory.]

Lee Han took the elixir out of his inventory.

“Whew…”

He took a deep breath and removed the cap from the glass vial.

The Mediator spoke.

“Going right away?”

Lee Han silently nodded.

“Interesting human. Most people hesitate for a long time.”

While listening to the Mediator, Lee Han drank the elixir in one gulp.

***

Gulp!

At that moment, all the scenery in front of him twisted and warped.

A message window appeared.

[Soul Link is starting.]

Even as his consciousness began to fade, Lee Han thought of his brother.

‘Hyunseong…!’

With a heavy heart, he steeled his resolve.

One chance.

Failure was not an option.

This time, he would save his brother—no matter what.

Moments later—

[Rebirth is starting.]

His stream of consciousness flowed like water, then suddenly cut off.

Lee Han’s soul left his body, and the empty shell was stored in the vault.