Chapter 1: The Return of the Warrior

After a grueling decade battling in another world, Kim Si-yool, the Warrior of the Moon, finally defeated the Demon King and returned home. He reveled in the familiar sights and sounds of Earth, even the exhaust fumes and traffic jams. He was ecstatic to be free.

He pondered his ten-year ordeal, a time filled with hardship and near-constant pursuit by bounty hunters. Despite his title, he’d received little support, fighting with discarded weapons and even his bare hands.

His return, however, was perplexing. While his mind held vivid memories of his struggles, his body was inexplicably pristine, as if the past ten years were a dream. He decided to chalk it up to some otherworldly perk.

Si-yool’s priority was threefold: determine the current date and time, figure out his location, and most importantly, check how much time had passed.

He attempted to ask a passing woman, but was met with a sharp rebuff. Si-yool, accustomed to far worse treatment in the other world, simply shrugged it off and eventually gleaned the necessary information from someone else.

It was Sunday, he was somewhere in Seoul, and, most shockingly, ten years had passed on Earth as well. This explained the futuristic cityscape and the prevalence of colorful hair among women.

Si-yool calculated his age. Between high school, part-time jobs, his military service, and his otherworldly adventure, he was now thirty-three.

“Not bad,” he thought. In fact, his situation was much better than he initially assumed.

He’d left Earth as a young man with little to his name. He’d returned a thirty-three-year-old high school graduate with no work experience and a decade-long gap in his resume. On the surface, his prospects looked bleak.

But Si-yool held a secret: his investments.

“Yes! F*ck yes!” Si-yool roared, drawing stares from passersby. He couldn’t contain his excitement as he checked his phone.

Stock: Top□ Media
Return: +3921%

Stock: Meta□Craft
Return: +28507%

His gamble had paid off. Knowing the future trajectory of these companies, particularly Meta□Craft (formerly known as Novelpia), he had invested all his savings before being transported to the other world. He’d endured hardship and ridicule for his unwavering faith in these stocks, but now, he was vindicated.

His plan was simple: sell a small portion of his Meta□Craft shares, enough to buy a couple of buildings. Although he knew the stock would continue to rise, he needed to secure his immediate future.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed his wrist. A cold, metallic click followed as handcuffs closed around him. He looked up to see a police officer, his eyes a mixture of weariness, disdain, and a hint of triumph.

“Who…?” Si-yool stammered.

“Are you Kim Si-yool?” the officer asked, ignoring his question.

Si-yool insisted on knowing the reason for his arrest. He’d committed no crimes on Earth. He grew increasingly frustrated with the officer’s refusal to answer.

“I’m asking you why!” he demanded, his patience wearing thin.

“Are you Kim Si-yool?” the officer repeated, then proceeded to cuff his other wrist. More officers appeared, restraining him.

“What the f*ck is going on?! What did I do?!” Si-yool yelled, kneeling on the ground as they held him down.

“You’re a deserter,” the officer finally stated.

Si-yool’s mind went blank. A deserter? He’d completed his military service. He had, admittedly, threatened his commanding officer a few times, but he’d never actually deserted.

“I…deserted…? Why…?” Si-yool stammered, bewildered.

The officer sighed. “Kim Si-yool. Attempted and succeeded in deserting the day after being assigned to the unit. Fled from the investigation net for twelve years.”

“And,” he continued, “as of now, we have succeeded in arresting him.”

Something was very, very wrong.