The tops of high‐rise buildings appeared here and there above the calm surface. The water, risen tens of meters deep, covered everything from Seocho past Gangnam, stopping abruptly just before Jamsil Stadium and Tancheon. Standing atop a skyscraper at Samseong Station, Han Yuhyun gazed at the jagged cliff of water’s edge. There was no awe or surprise in his eyes—only a cool, calculating gaze measuring his opponent’s power.

The Thralls who had descended into this world were swept away by the flood, too. None were weak enough to drown. All emerged unscathed, yet none dared step forward again, clearly holding back. For now, if someone mastered this stagnant water, no Thrall’s power alone could oppose them.

‘But an S-Rank body still has its limits.’

No being native to this world could fully control that water. Even now, it had only been drawn here and spread out. Even with practice, one could move only a fraction of it. Still, that alone was threatening enough.

Above all, it was the power diametrically opposed to Han Yuhyun’s attribute. He opened his status window.

[Awakened One Han Yuhyun (SS)]

Before his death, his rank had still been S; now it had risen to SS. He had already been on the cusp of SS, mere days from rank-up. Would extra stats and the reward for becoming our world’s first SS-Rank have changed the outcome? Yet because of that, Diarma had hurriedly targeted Han Yujin.

Nothing would change now. Even less so for him.

Yet at the sight of the title at the top of his status window, his indifferent gaze inevitably clouded.

[The World of One — (L)

Your world is composed of only a single person.]

When Han Yujin awakened and came searching for Han Yuhyun—when Han Yuhyun had repelled him—that title appeared. Unusually, it had given him a choice: accept it or reject it.

[If any other enters your world, or “Han Yujin” fully dies, this title will vanish.

The title’s disappearance means the world’s destruction.

The world’s destruction means your disappearance.]

It granted no extra abilities—only a lethal effect. A suspicious title with an unknowable purpose. Yet Han Yuhyun accepted it. He had no reason to refuse; in fact, he welcomed it.

Proof that he still belonged in his world. A thread of connection to his brother for him—who, like Bu-pyeong-cho who’d lost his home, had no place or affiliation.

The title comforted him, assuring he would never be left alone. If Han Yujin truly perished without hope of resurrection, the title would vanish—and so would he. Even in the corpse he inhabited, hard to call truly alive, his world remained.

After a moment’s contemplation, Han Yuhyun’s gaze fell. The Lonely Conqueror.

‘If my brother were nearby, I couldn’t use it anyway.’

Despite its powerful effect, the requirement that no sentient being favorable to him remain close meant it was unusable outside dungeons. Though Han Yuhyun felt indifferent toward everyone but Han Yujin, many held fondness for him.

‘For now, my brother is the only one.’

When Han Yujin reappeared, the title’s effect vanished. Han Yuhyun looked again at the water. Park Yerim. He had scant information on her. He had investigated her basics as much as Han Yujin’s involvement before the relapse, but lost interest once Yujin had distanced himself from her.

‘She’s favorable toward current Han Yuhyun.’

Still young, deeply fond of Han Yujin. Thus, unlike others, she’d likely feel affection for pre-relapse Han Yuhyun too. In other words, the Lonely Conqueror title would become unusable.

‘I can’t count on the Ashen Footprints’ incineration effect, either.’

Consuming surroundings to boost stats would be impossible in this environment. Moreover, the Puppeteer was not to be underestimated. Han Yuhyun assessed the situation coldly.

Alone, his chance of success was low. If he gave up the Lonely Conqueror and Ashen Footprints, it would be more efficient to recruit other Thralls rather than act solo. As he organized the facts in his mind, he turned his head. He saw blue willow-leaves drifting on the surface—and a younger man with the same face stepping onto the rooftop. He stood at a distance, watching Han Yuhyun.

No words passed between them—only their gazes, quietly exchanged. Long explanations were unnecessary: both were Han Yuhyun.

The twenty-five-year-old Han Yuhyun immediately grasped the decision his other self had made. For Han Yuhyun, Han Yujin was priority. Now that he recognized his other self as deceased, there was no need for hostility. In fact, they could now act together toward a common goal.

The twenty-one-year-old Han Yuhyun was certain his other self understood his thoughts. So he spoke without preamble.

“If you can keep moving like this, my brother will not give up.”

Even an irreversible death could not deter him. Han Yuhyun replied:

“My Origin as Han Yuhyun has faded. It must have returned to the snow-covered tree. What remains in this body is but the trace of the twenty-five years I spent here: a lingering scent of existence.”

A so-called ghost is much the same: the Origin is gone, but the impressions left by prolonged presence linger. Yet foot-imprints, scents, or hand-marks all vanish in time.

Han Yuhyun reached out to the black butterflies swirling around him. One alighted on his pale fingertip.

“The Gardener replenishes his magic through these butterflies, but not for long. At most a month. Under constant combat drain, barely a week. No longer maintenance is possible.”

If those last traces were gone, the corpse would be nothing but hollow motion. Current Han Yuhyun accepted that. Han Yujin would, too.

“What exactly is your purpose?”

“To seize Sigma.”

“Why not hand Guildmaster Seong over to the New Moon or another Transcendent and be done?”

“No. Not the New Moon.”

The pre-relapse Han Yuhyun spoke. A questioning gaze turned to him.

“The New Moon’s aim is to destroy existing Origins. She never spoke of the danger, but no one knows what variables might arise.”

Though the New Moon would only eradicate Origins, not the worlds tied to them, no one could predict what changes their disappearance would bring.

“It’s possible the worlds themselves would vanish with their Origins. The world we live in could perish too.”

If the sun disappeared, the earth would not survive—the Gardener had warned of a similar risk.

“If the Full Moon completes here, it’s dangerous. A new Origin’s birth cannot occur without affecting the surroundings.”

Even mere shockwaves could destroy everything nearby. As he listened, Han Yuhyun’s expression hardened.

“Is the ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) Gardener safe, then?”

“The White Bird, seeking to protect the Origin, allied with him. So he has no intention to harm existing Origins. Once he acquires a pseudo-Origin, he’ll retreat into his garden to research—beyond the New Moon’s reach.”

Thus the White Bird hoped the Gardener would intervene at the last moment, preventing the Full Moon’s completion and saving the existing Origins.

“He needs Sigma, not Guildmaster Seong.”

“Current pseudo-Origins are too difficult for other Transcendents to tamper with. Even if seized, they’d hold only briefly; undoing the New Moon’s contract is nearly impossible.”

“Sigma is the key.”

“Though the same being, Sigma diverged from the New Moon long ago. He’s the clue to erasing her contract.”

The only breach in Seong’s binding contract was Sigma. Hence the Gardener deceived the Puppeteer to seize Sigma first. Without Sigma, capturing Seong alone would lead to him being reclaimed by the New Moon.

Even with the key, unraveling a multilayered contract at once would be difficult—but if they sedated Seong and awakened Sigma, the New Moon could not locate her little moon. Then they could slowly erase the contract.

Han Yuhyun looked at the face that aged him.

“You wouldn’t send Guildmaster Seong to the Gardener as well.”

“Beyond Director Song, I barely socialized with anyone.”

The pre-relapse Han Yuhyun recalled. He kept everyone but Director Song at arms’ length. He’d spent a brief time with Han Yujin, but after Song’s death, he left Korea, abandoning all ties. He never heard news of Seong Hyunjae afterward—overseas affairs held no interest for him in Korea. Even before, he left Guildmaster duties to Song.

“Why do you care for him?”

“...Because I’m sentimental.”

Han Yuhyun’s gaze flicked away. Should he have locked him away so no one could meet him after reconciling? Hidden so no one would take interest? But time with his brother was too sweet. Even returned to the past, he would hesitate without that promise of acceptance.

Unlike the Han Yuhyun before him.

“But I can’t let my brother be put in danger any further. To find Sigma, I must kill Guildmaster Seong?”

“One must die or be comatose for the other to awaken. Only awakened Sigma reveals his location.”

Sigma was already bound by the Gardener’s contract. Once awake, he’d head straight to him. Weaker than pre-relapse Han Yuhyun and rendered powerless before Gardener’s thralls by contract, capturing him would be no great feat. Though the Puppeteer guarded him once, a second escape would be hard.

The current Han Yuhyun turned his gaze to where the Haeyeon Guild lay across the flooded surface.

“It won’t be easy.”

“I’ll contact the other Thralls.”

The Gardener’s target was Sigma. Thus negotiating ownership of the pseudo-Origin should be simple. Once he had Sigma, Seong Hyunjae would be the Puppeteer’s prey. He would bring Seong to the Gardener—whatever it took for his child’s sake.

Sesung Boat No. 1 sank beneath the water. It seemed flimsy for carrying even three adults.

“Farewell, Sesung No. 1.”

“You called it Dodam.”

“A Sesung that sinks becomes one.”

“Risen again already.”

“A good omen. Looks like the Sesung Guild fell to ruin and now revives. Congratulations.”

“Please look after me until full resurrection, partner.”

“What are you saying? My partner is the result of a moving birthday table—I have no ties to someone who lost their emotions.”

“Since we’re in the water, just light the candles.”

“There’s a convenience store on the first floor. Jump in. Bring tiramisu and candles. I’m getting hungry—grab cup noodles and kimbap too. A fifty-meter dive should do.”

I wondered if Yuhyun was hungry... could he even eat? That damn Gardener—did he even look after my brother properly?

“We lack materials.”

Director Song said, serious. We’d fetched all sorts of supplies from the unflooded floors, but in an office building most things sunk straight down when thrown in. And the flooded area was vast—treading water to escape would take two hours on foot. Even an S-Rank swimmer would tire.

“Yerim~ Still sleeping~?”

I called out loudly but got no reply. After drawing in so much water, she might be exhausted and resting. Hyun-a, too, must have been swept away—no answer to calls. Fortunately, phones these days are well-sealed and still worked.

“Shall we check for a big supermarket nearby? They might not sell summer goods in midwinter, but maybe rubber boats.”

“But where would we go?”

The Puppeteer asked as he descended to the rooftop.

“I mean, we need to find Yerim and Hyun-a. Yuhyun... will come back to kill Seong Hyunjae. Hmm, he’ll likely recruit other Thralls.”

If Yerim is present, Yuhyun’s attribute will make using Skills hard. The original Yerim could freeze water or evaporate it, but this is the Mermaid Queen’s transcendent power—so he withdrew.

“...The Thralls will only grow stronger over time.”

“They’ll gain system Skills. Better to deal with them first.”

“Yes. Mr. Seong Hyunjae, please don’t remove the mana stones.”

Geuman merely smiled without replying. He’d jokingly bantered but clearly felt he had no right to meddle in my affairs. He wouldn’t even decline my interference.

We abandoned building Sesung No. 2 and searched instead for shops selling rubber boats. None nearby stocked proper boats—though the Han River area surely had plenty.

[Honey! Are you okay?]

As we boarded the cramped rubber boat meant for two, my system window appeared. “Welcome, newbie. Are you all right?” To be honest, not particularly.