Regressed Hero Choi Ryeong

It was a morning like any other.

I spent the day lounging around at home, carefree, and eventually fell asleep.

As usual, I was enjoying games, novels, movies, and comics, chatting with my sister when she called to check on me. Suddenly, a massive earthquake struck. The house collapsed, and I was crushed to death under the rubble.

[Name: Choi Ryeong / Age: 16 years old]

[You have been chosen as a Hero Candidate.]

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a white space surrounded by countless people.

Clutching my forehead, I heard a voice echoing in my head.

[Current Location: Tutorial Tower]

[Greetings, Hero Candidate. I am Angel, the system designed to assist you.]

Information I had neither asked for nor cared about flooded into my mind.

The nausea felt as though I had stayed up gaming for two nights straight.

[Let me get straight to the point: unless you become heroes, your world will face annihilation.]

The surroundings transformed as if a holographic display had been turned on.

Like scenes from an apocalyptic film, buildings were collapsing and burning, and countless people lay gravely injured.

Thunderstorms, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, and tsunamis relentlessly wreaked havoc, causing despair.

Amidst the chaos, some people chose to end their own lives.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

I saw my sister walking, covered in blood.

She was carrying an injured person on her back, even though she herself bore deep wounds.

[Your task is simple: overcome the five trials prepared by the God of Light and become heroes.]

The scene changed to reveal a fantasy world.

Elves, dwarves, demons, magic, dragons, and countless other beings coexisted in chaos.

Occasionally, elements like firearms or Earthly clothing—qipaos and hanboks—appeared, incongruous with the setting. Unfazed, the system switched to show another grim, desolate world.

[If you fail, your world will be destroyed.]

The dark and dreary world had a crimson-black sky filled with storms and thunder.

Grotesque creatures that could not even be called animals devoured one another to survive.

Far in the distance, a colossal castle loomed.

Surrounding it were high-rise buildings encased within a massive dome.

[And at the end, you must kill this person.]

From outside the dome, a boy emerged.

He had a familiar face, with two horns of different colors.

Swinging a molten golden arm, he blinked four eyes hidden behind their lids.

[The Demon King, Lumias Fedora Field.]

The golden arm stretched, cutting through everything around it.

Among the crumbling hills and debris, hidden survivors emerged to attack him.

Blinding flashes of magic and light filled the air, but when it all cleared, only blood-soaked corpses remained, stared at emptily by the Demon King.

[If you kill him, who was once the saint of the church, the God of Light will grant you one wish.]

The surviving people died in even more gruesome ways.

Some sprouted branches and turned into withered trees, others were flung by powerful winds to be devoured by monsters upon landing.

The Demon King swept away the people with ease, casually brushing blood off his hands.

Leaving behind a mountain of corpses, he entered the dome and pulled out a piece of cloth from his chest, inhaling its scent.

[Oh, and no additional wishes are allowed. You understand why, don't you?]

I returned to the white space, retching from the nausea. My feeble body struggled to move.

[In the trials, even if you die, you'll be given one more chance. So do your best to survive.]

Clap!

As the sound of clapping rang out, the ground split open.

One by one, people fell into the cracks.

[The first trial begins now.]

And so, I fell into yet another white space.

Kill the cat. The cat possesses physical abilities exceeding those of a tiger.

Difficulty: E

Time Limit: None

Reward: Unlock Level System

Penalty for Failure: Death

The cold touch of the ground brushed against me.

When I opened my eyes, the chilly air tightened around my throat.

"Meow."

A ball of light coalesced into the shape of a cat.

It had snow-white fur and eyes that sparkled like jewels. The cat slowly approached and rubbed its face against my leg.

"You're in the same boat as me, huh?"

The soft fur tickled my fingertips.

Before I realized it, I was smiling.

"But I have no choice. I have to survive too."

[Select your basic weapon.]

[Dagger, Sword, Shield, Spear, Bow...]

[You have selected: Dagger.]

Biting my lip, I stroked the cat with one hand and gripped the sharp dagger in the other.

My trembling gaze met the cat's.

"Sorry."

But the cat just looked up at me innocently.

I swung the dagger.

Whoosh.

The cat leapt into the air, extending its white claws as it lunged at me.

Squelch!

[You've been scratched. Remaining HP: 17/20.]

Though I twisted my body, a sharp wound opened on my right arm.

The pain made the dagger feel heavy in my hand.

"Haah!"

My mind went cold as I swung the dagger again.

Whoosh.

The blade grazed the cat's fur, but it moved nimbly and counterattacked.

"Hyaah!"

I lunged with all my strength, but it dodged effortlessly, landing a blow on me instead.

"Guh..."

[Rib fracture. Remaining HP: 10/20.]

My breath caught in my throat.

Pushing through the pain, I forced myself to stand and tightened my grip on the dagger.

I charged at the cat and grabbed its paw as it tried to escape, plunging the dagger into its body.

Thud!

Blood spattered across my face.

I pulled out the dagger and stabbed again.

"Hiss!"

The cat struggled, clawing at my body, leaving me covered in wounds.

Even so, I didn't stop stabbing.

Smack!

Then came a lucky punch. My brain rattled, and darkness swallowed my vision.

My body wouldn't move.

[Jaw shattered. Remaining HP: 0/20.]

[You have died.]

[Second chance granted.]

[Trial # '-1': Resurrection Match initiated.]

On my first day in another world, I was killed by a cat.