Chapter 1: Return to the Original World

The dark of the night slowly faded away.

The hill was quiet and peaceful after the great war was over.

In contrast to the environment, the place got filled with blood and the stench of corpses.

Not just Humans, even the remains of Beasts, Elves, Dwarves, Demons, and Dragons could be found in the ruins of war.

There were just two men alive left on the hill. Their surrounding was full of Magic spell explosion marks. It made the place with nothing left except the soil.

One man stood holding the Greatsword pointed at the ground with both hands. He looked toward the sunrise while the other man was lying down, looking at the sky and panting.

Hosh, Hosh–

“I don’t have any more stamina left if that Underlord is still alive after boldly gotten hit by your final wave, Stormrage.”

“Yeah, the same as me too, Magina.

“We won the great war, but with what cost… ” Stormrage replied without looking back at Magina. He kept staring at the sunrise.

Magina got up and sat on the ground with his legs crossed.

“Don’t be silly. Our comrades sacrifice themselves for the greater good. Surely they want us to honor their death for winning this great war.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Thanks, my friend. It’s always you that keeps me sane enough to overcome this hellish journey.”

Magina smiled while looking at the back of Stormrage. He still remembered how they met for the first time after he came to this world.

They were still just errand boys for some commanders or a general at the age of 17. But their talent in learning and supporting each other back was fruitful enough to make them stand out from the rest of the boys.

Both Stormrage and Magina immediately became renowned soldiers. They fought at the front line of the army since they were still young.

Since then, Magina had always been with Stormrage, supporting him in many trial wars through many fights and massacres.

Stormrage led the army for almost 25 years, with Magina aiding him at the side. And also with many other comrades that had outstanding power and talent.

In the end, only both of them were left and survived until the great war ended.

“If we didn’t meet and fight in that small tent, there would be no Stormrage now. Because of you, I have the courage and strength to lead the army for this great war.”

“Oi… Oi…, don’t just casually say cringe things. I’d hate that. Well, it’s your power and strength that kill the Underlord, not me.”

Magina shrugged and smiled at Stormrage. He knew his friend was suffering while leading the army, putting the responsibility of many billion lives on his shoulder.

That’s why Magina had an iron heart for his friend. He would gladly go rampage through the nightmare for Stormrage disregarding his own life, even if the place was hell.

Now, It was absolutely peaceful since the great war had ended. Magina and Stormrage felt at ease even though many of their comrades and friends died in the process.

But…, Peace was something that will never last long.

Suddenly Magina felt amiss with the surrounding. “Wait, did you feel it? there is no Mana anymore here.”

Magina stood up while looking everywhere, then tapping Stormrage back. But Stormrage didn’t bother to turn and face him.

Stormrage kept looking at the front and said some words to Magina.

“Thank you for accompanying my journey till the end. It’s a great victory for all of us.”

“Huh?!” Magina was confused by the Stormrage words.

In the midst of Magina’s confusion, the ground started to shake, crack, and shatter the earth.

The earthquake started to happen, the ground where Stormrage and Magina stood now breaking apart. It separates them away from each other.

“Magina, this is the end…”

Having power and strength depleted after the fight, Magina found himself struggling to stand up in the middle of the earthquake. He kept looking at his friend while holding his ground.

“Stormrage, what happened!?”

Magina was still confused and surprised by the event that unfolded in front of his eyes.

His friends, Stormrage, act pretty unusual too.

Stormrage finally turned his back and looked at Magina. The ground where they stand now slowly separated them further.

Stormrage threw his Greatsword and spoke to Magina with a happy tone, “I am the same as you. Since you are ready to sacrifice yourself for me, I am ready to sacrifice myself for you.”

Stormrage and Magina stared at each other in the middle of the disaster. Their eyes already spoke a thousand words that made them understand each other’s feelings.

“Long time ago, I knew if I ever faced the Underlord. I need to use the Eternal Mana to kill it. Even if it means this world will perish from existence.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re not someone from this world, Magina. From the time we spent together, I have a belief that you might not be here if this world didn’t exist.

“But, I’m not sure about that contemplation until… I know about Eternal Mana.

“That’s how I decided to end this war with that and return you back to where you belong.”

Stormrage smiled happily for his friend, Magina. For him, as an orphan, Magina was like a true brother that he never had before.

“Magina… My real name is Riddle, Jonathan Riddle.”

Magina’s started shedding tears. His emotion and mind were really in a mess right now.

“What the fu*k you talking about it!?

“How can you be sure that I will come back?!

“How can you sacrifice many lives for me!

“I-If you know about me, why not talk to me before… Why do you keep quiet?!”

Before they could talk any longer, the ground where Stormrage stood was gone, and he fell down to the darkness of the cliff.

Magina tried stretching out his hand, hoping it could reach his friend, but it was impossible. 

Magina couldn’t hide his feelings anymore and cried out so loud for the death of his friends.

Regret, confusion, surprise, and sorrow were mixed in Magina’s heart right now. His head hit the ground without knowing what he was supposed to do from now on.

Many corpses after the war had fallen when the ground started to disappear. The earthquake ate all of the things that stand on this land.

Soon, this world was gone, and Magina would be gone too. He gave up the same way as Stormrage died. He closed his eyes and spoke for the last time while fallen.

“My… Name is

“Kim Ji-woo.”

—- —-

—- —-

South Korea, 2023.

There was a man lying down on the ground, facing the sky in the alley. That place was a bit dark and dirty.

The man wore plain grey clothes and long pants. His black wavy hair was long, up to the shoulder.

Suddenly, the man opened his eyes and looked surprised. He stared at the familiar sky that he had not been able to see for a long time.

His eyes started to cry. The emotion in his heart was really aching for all the things he had been through it.

“I’m really alive, Stormrage. Thanks to you, I’m back in my world. But, what about you?”

Kim Ji-woo moved his body and tried to sit on the ground while leaning against the wall. His face showed an expression of someone that didn’t know what he had to do right now.

“If only I were stronger. We both could kill the Underlord without using Eternal Mana and sacrifice your own world for me.”

Ji-woo closed his teary eyes and reminisced all the memories of the Mage world. He didn’t expect living there would be a precious experience in his life.

Ji-woo sighed and got up while still leaning against the wall. He tried to cope with the grief and loss as soon as possible. He was already familiar with that feeling since he got involved in the war for almost 30 years.

But still, Ji-woo’s heart aches so much because of Stormrage and the destruction of the Magical world.

He tried to walk barefoot while staggered toward the street at the front.

“I can’t retrieve much about this place. But, I still remember my family. They must be worried about me.”

Before Ji-woo could reach the street that was a brighter place than the alley, He heard a commotion break out abruptly.

‘What’s the matter?’

Ji-woo reached out to the street despite being puzzled about the commotion. He saw people running in panic, and many officers tried to keep the order as not to cause any casualties.

“What’s about the query?”

“It’s been almost one hour since Mana fluctuation appeared, sir!”

The Chief in black suit frowned upon the answer.

“At any moment, a Portal Gate will be formed. How about the evacuation?

The Chief looked toward the mess in front of him. He started to get irritated by how related officers that had the task to evacuate the people were not good at doing their jobs.

“Can they do it a little bit faster!?” The Chief raised his voice.

“We already try our best, sir!” His assistant was trying to calm his Chief.

“Why does this appear in the middle of a crowded place!? And it to happen on my fu**ing holiday too!”

The Chief roared his frustration and grabbed his head, feeling annoyed by the situation.

While the Chief grabbed his hair and shook his head, he accidentally saw a man that looked like a beggar at the front of the alley.

Their eyes met each other, and both of them were startled.

“Who are you?” The Chief pointed his finger at the man.

Ji-woo replied, “Who are you?”