Chapter 1: The Final Gift

The old fan creaked overhead, spinning slowly like time itself was too tired to move. Raizen Nocturne sat at the dinner table, opposite his father, Daman Nocturne. The room was dim — lit only by the fading amber glow of the evening sun bleeding through the curtains.

The silence was suffocating.

The kind of silence that sat heavy on your chest — like a warning before a storm.

Daman stared at his half-empty bottle of whiskey, face twitching with bitterness, and memories warped by alcohol.

Then, without warning—

CRASH.

Daman's fist slammed the table. A ceramic plate shattered, shards scattering like jagged teeth. His bloodshot eyes flared with hatred.

"That woman — your mother — that bitch! I swear to God, I'll kill her!"

The venom in his voice was so real, so raw, it made Raizen's spine go cold.

But something inside him… broke.

Years of suppressed rage — the screaming behind closed doors, the bruises hidden under sleeves, the tears his mother wiped away when no one was looking — it all erupted.

Raizen grabbed his own plate and smashed it against his father's face.

A sickening crack. A splash of red. The impact sent Daman sprawling onto the floor, dazed.

"You… you dare hit me?" Daman hissed, clutching his forehead. Blood dripped between his fingers.

Raizen stood, fists clenched so tight they trembled. His voice was hoarse, yet steady — fueled by every nightmare he had buried.

"You cheat on her. You come home drunk. You beat her like she's an object. You treat her like trash. Not today."

He stepped forward, towering over the man who used to seem invincible.

"Today, I end it. This… is my final gift to the woman who gave me everything."

Daman tried to crawl away. Pathetic. Weak. All his cruelty, now reduced to fear.

"Wait—!"

Raizen grabbed his father's arm and twisted — SNAP. Bone gave way. Then the other. Daman's scream pierced the stillness like a blade.

"PLEASE!" he begged, tears mixing with blood. "You can have everything! Money! The house! Just don't— I'm your father!"

Raizen's eyes were cold. Empty.

"You were never my father."

He stomped down, crushing both knees. Another crack. More howling.

Then, he dropped to one knee — face inches from the monster he once called Dad — and jammed his fingers into Daman's eye socket.

Blood. Screams. Madness.

The house was still. Leira Nocturne — his mother — was out visiting a friend. No one heard. No one came.

Justice didn't always wear a badge.

Raizen stood, breath ragged. He walked into the kitchen, ignoring the blood on his hands, and returned with a knife.

Daman, now a crippled mess on the floor, looked up in terror.

"You're really going to kill me?! I'm your father! You monster!"

Raizen looked at him — not with rage, but peace.

"Then call this mercy."

One clean motion.

The blade slit deep. The scream was short. The head rolled across the floor like a broken mask, red painting its path.

Raizen picked it up, eyes shining with something between grief and freedom.

"You were never a father. This… is for Mom."

He glanced at the wall clock.

4:30 PM.

He slumped against the wall, still holding the blood-slick photo frame of him and his mother.

Raizen muttered under his breath, voice shaky:

"If only something like a miracle existed... If I could change everything from the beginning. If I could change my father... If..."

He paused. His jaw tightened. Then a sigh escaped his lips.

"Sigh… There's no point in thinking about it now."

He walked to the kitchen again. Found the gas pipe. Cut it clean.

The faint hiss of leaking gas whispered like a lullaby.

Twenty minutes passed.

Raizen sat in silence, holding the framed photo of him and his mom. Smiling. Before everything went to hell.

His fingers trembled as he struck a match.

"Sorry, Mom... I didn't know any other way."

But before he dropped the flame—

Tears blurred his vision.

Memories rose like smoke.

---

He remembered being six — walking hand-in-hand with her to school under a leaking umbrella. She held his bag. Always smiling, even when her shoes were soaked.

He remembered her clapping wildly at his school play, even though he forgot his lines.

The warm lunches she packed. The bedtime stories she whispered. The songs she sang when he was too scared to sleep.

He remembered birthdays with no cake but hugs that made the world okay.

He remembered dancing with her in the rain, just once, before the beatings started.

"I wanted to do so many things…", he whispered.

"I wanted to build her a house. I wanted to buy her real clothes. I wanted her to grow old happy."

He looked at the photo in his hands.

"But this world didn't give us a chance."

"So I made one."

"With blood… and fire."

"This was my final gift."

He dropped the match.

The house exploded.

Raizen Nocturne was gone.

---

But death was not the end.

He opened his eyes.

There was no fire. No pain. No body. Just… white.

An endless void — quiet and still, like time had been paused.

Raizen blinked. "Heaven?" he muttered. "No… after what I did, I should be in hell."

Then — a flicker.

A blue screen appeared before him, pulsing with soft digital light:

> Welcome, Player.

He stared at it, stunned. Then a crooked smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"A… system? Seriously?"

The screen shifted again:

> Welcome to the Infinite Verse.

This realm contains infinite universes — born from the imagination of your world.

Novels. Manga. Games. Myths. Dreams. Nightmares.

These universes are vast and dangerous. Each one will test your strength, your mind, and your will.

Raizen's eyes sharpened.

> Become a multiversal-level being. Grow stronger. Rise above gods, demons, kings, and tyrants.

Conquer verses. Rewrite fate.

And if you succeed…

You may return to Earth.

To any timeline — past, present, or future.

His heart stopped for a beat.

"In any timeline…" he whispered. "I could go back. Save Mom. Stop myself. Stop everything."

Something inside him stirred — not hatred.

Hope.

Another screen blinked into place:

> Select 3 starting abilities to begin your journey.

Raizen grinned, the fire rekindling in his eyes.

"This… is where my real story begins."

Chapter 2: Welcome to the First Verse

The blue screen flickered again, casting a faint glow across the white void.

[System]: Now, select 3 powers from the list below.

Raizen Nocturne narrowed his eyes as a holographic panel appeared, filled with shimmering text and mysterious symbols — some glowing brighter than others, some greyed out entirely.

Raizen [thinking]:

> Energy Manipulation — Gain the ability to control, absorb, and shape energy in all its forms: thermal, kinetic, electrical, magical, spiritual, and more. Can be used to form energy weapons, defensive barriers, or fuel advanced techniques. Evolves with use and mastery.

> Justice — Automatically reveals the moral alignment of anyone within line of sight: Good, Neutral, or Evil. Useful for navigating unfamiliar worlds or avoiding betrayal.

> Teleportation — Allows instant movement to any visible location within 50 meters. Cooldown: 30 seconds. Upgradable for longer distances or teleporting others.

> Switch Places — Instantly swap positions with any object, creature, or person within 20 meters. Can be used creatively in battle or for escapes. Cooldown: 1 minute.

> Mind Reading — Read surface-level thoughts of anyone within 10 meters. Cannot read deeper thoughts unless the target is mentally weak. Cooldown: 1 minute per use. Long-term use may cause headaches.

> Copy (Talent & Skill) — After observing an ability or physical skill in action, duplicate it almost prefectly. Effectiveness increases with repeated exposure. Can copy bloodline or divine techniques later when level of power increase

> Future Glimpse — See 10 seconds into the future. Cooldown: 24 hours. Cannot be used during time-stopped periods. May be limited if future events are clouded by fate or higher beings.

> Pain Tolerance — Reduces all physical pain by 60%, allowing the user to fight longer even with injuries. Also grants partial resistance to torture or illusions that cause mental anguish. Permanent passive.

> Time Stop — Freeze time in a 10-meter radius for 1 second. Cooldown: 24 hours. During the pause, only the user can move. Useful for dodging fatal attacks or seizing opportunities.

> Invisibility — Become completely invisible for 2 seconds. Cannot attack while invisible. Cooldown: 24 hours. Vision-enhancing or divine items may bypass this effect.

Raizen rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"There are so many options… but why are they all low-level?"

[System]: You can level them up later using points.

Raizen tilted his head. “Let me guess — I earn points by killing monsters and completing quests?”

[System]: Correct.

He crossed his arms, eyes darting between the choices. Some of the abilities had huge potential if upgraded correctly. Energy Manipulation, for instance — if he mastered it, he could probably fly, fire beams, or absorb attacks.

**[System]: I recommend choosing:

Justice

Copy (Talent & Skill)

Switch Places**

Raizen frowned. “Switch Places sounds too situational. Maybe good for tricks… but not reliable in a real fight.”

He tapped the floating screen next to the skill. A sub-menu popped up, revealing its use cases — swapping places with arrows mid-flight, dodging by switching with a pebble, even baiting enemies.

“Cool… but I prefer raw control,” he murmured, then pulled up the description for Energy Manipulation.

As he read it, a smile crept across his face.

“Energy Manipulation can be shaped into offense, defense… maybe even flight later on. That’s what I’m talking about.”

After a short pause, he nodded firmly.

“Alright, I’ll go with your suggestion — but instead of Switch Places, I’ll choose Energy Manipulation as my third ability.”

[System]: Confirmed. There will be no issues. You may select freely.

As the menu faded, a new screen hovered before him.

[System]: Initializing transfer… Preparing destination…

A glowing portal began swirling into existence ahead of him — a circular doorway of pulsing light, growing in size and intensity.

Raizen took a deep breath, fists clenched at his sides.

“Let’s go, then… Just wait for me a little longer, Mom.”

He stepped forward — but just before he entered, another screen flashed.

[System]: Select transport method —

> Option 1: Transfer your soul into a random body in the new verse. You inherit some memories and traits of the host.

Option 2: Arrive in your own body at a random location with no identity.

Option 3: [Locked — Not eligible for this verse.]

Raizen raised an eyebrow.

"Option 1 seems smarter. I’ll already have an identity in the new world — that might give me some benefits… maybe even skills or connections."

Without hesitation, he tapped Option 1.

The portal exploded in a burst of white light as his body was pulled forward.

---

THUD.

Pain shot through his chest and limbs like a freight train. His teeth rattled. His mouth tasted like iron.

Raizen groaned.

He opened his eyes — the sky above was a dull grey, clouded over like an old memory. He sat up, every muscle in his body aching. Blood dripped from a split lip. His arms were covered in bruises and faint cuts.

“Ugh… what kind of welcome is this?”

He realized quickly: this new body had just been beaten to a pulp.

As he slowly stood, using the grimy alley wall for support, his vision cleared. Garbage bags were stacked nearby, and a broken television sparked faintly in the corner. The faint buzz of power lines crackled overhead.

“Damn… this kid really got beat up bad.”

He limped toward the alley’s mouth — and the moment he stepped out, the world hit him like a slap.

Cars honked. Neon signs flashed. A bus rolled by. People walked the streets staring into their phones, ignoring the world.

Massive skyscrapers towered above. Drones zipped across rooftops. A billboard played a looping ad for some sleek tech product.

Raizen squinted.

No knights. No dragons. No magic circles in the sky. Just a plane flying lazily above and pigeons picking crumbs from the sidewalk.

His face twisted into disbelief.

Raizen [shouting]:

“System! Where are the swordsmen flying through the sky?!

Where are the knights riding horses?! What is this?!”

A pause — then the blue screen returned, as calm as ever.

[System]: Welcome to Verse 1.

Raizen blinked. Shoulders slumped.

“…This is just… Earth. Did I just get isekai’d to the same damn planet?!”

He groaned loudly and dragged his hand down his face.

“Figures. My luck couldn’t even dump me into a fantasy world.”

Still, something buzzed inside him — a faint warmth.

A subtle hum beneath his skin.

Even if the world looked the same… he wasn’t.

Whatever this Verse was, whatever body he now had — he wasn’t staying weak.

Not again.

---

Chapter 2 — End

Chapter 3: Time Fracture

Everyone on the road, in the streets — everyone in the surroundings — noticed him shouting.

A small kid holding his mother's hand, licking an ice cream cone, pointed with a giggle.

"Mom, that beggar-looking uncle is going crazy."

Nearby, a group of high schoolers burst into laughter.

"Bro thinks he's in a fantasy novel!"

"He must've just watched a thousand episodes of anime in one night!"

"Go back to your Isekai, man!"

Some people chuckled and walked on.

Others simply stared with pity or amusement, then ignored him entirely.

Raizen rubbed the back of his head and exhaled sharply.

"Man… this is embarrassing. I look like a lunatic."

His worn clothes, bruised face, and wild eyes weren't helping.

But then—

Everything stopped.

Cars froze in the middle of the road.

A pigeon flapping overhead was stuck in midair.

Even the laughter, the wind, the honking — gone.

A plane hung motionless above the skyline.

Pedestrians were statues, mid-step, mid-sentence, mid-breath.

Silence.

Stillness.

A fracture in time itself.

Raizen blinked, his body tense.

> "What the hell? Did… time just stop?"

He reached out toward a frozen leaf suspended in midair. It didn't move, didn't react. Even the wind had vanished.

His heartbeat pounded in the silence.

> "This… isn't magic. It's something else entirely."

Then came the soft buzz of static, followed by a flicker of blue light.

A translucent screen appeared before him.

---

[SYSTEM]:

"Can't you be a bit more patient?"

---

He instinctively straightened up, a cold sweat forming on his back. His gut screamed at him:

> Say the wrong thing, and something terrible might happen.

He'd seen enough stories to know this was no ordinary system. If it could stop time on a whim, it wasn't bound by the world's rules. It might not even be bound by morality.

> "Better not piss it off…" he thought.

The system interface glitched, shimmered, and updated.

---

[SYSTEM RULES]:

You must not reveal my existence to others.

---

> "That's it? Just one rule? But it said rules, plural..."

Raizen gulped.

> "Let's not press it. This thing already paused time just to scold me."

"Okay…" he muttered cautiously.

---

[SYSTEM]:

"I'll let it go this time, since I didn't explain earlier."

---

And just like that—

Time snapped back.

The pigeon flapped and flew off.

A horn blared as a car sped past the alley's opening.

Raizen was back in the same spot — slumped in the shadows of the dark alley, body aching, and heart pounding.

> "Did… did it just turn back time?"

He clenched his fists.

This time, he didn't shout. He didn't move.

He just sat, breathing deeply, trying to process the madness.

---

[SYSTEM]:

"The memories of your new body will now be transferred."

---

Then it hit him like a crashing wave.

A rush of thoughts, feelings, images — foreign, yet familiar.

A stabbing pain erupted behind his eyes. His knees buckled. It felt like someone had opened his skull and poured a stranger's entire life into it — raw and unresolved.

Emotions bled into him: shame, fear, loneliness, anger.

His head throbbed as the mental flood poured in.

---

> "Kang Minjae. That's the name of this body."

"Eighteen years old. Same age as me."

"His father, Kang Daejin — some cold, ruthless CEO. His mother, Yoon Haejin, comes from an old-money family… but neither gives a damn about him."

"No allowance. No support. No love. They believe suffering builds character. Or maybe they just don't care."

"This kid got bullied. Badly. School gang extorted him every week."

"He had no strength, no friends… just silence and pain."

---

The last memory echoed.

Blood on his lips.

A kick to the ribs.

Laughter echoing from the alley entrance.

Raizen opened his eyes, jaw clenched.

---

[SYSTEM]:

"Check your profile."

---

A panel opened.

---

[CHARACTER PROFILE]

Name: Raizen Nocturne (Kang Minjae)

Height: 179 cm

Weight: 60 kg

Species: Human

Title: Chosen by the System

(Benefit: Can access system interface)

Powers: Justice, Copy (Skills & Talent), Energy Manipulation

Skill: Jab [Low-level skill] (Fully mastered. Incomplete boxing.)

Power Level: 1.2 (Mid-range normal human)

---

Raizen raised his arm, squeezing his fist.

> "A bit scrawny… but I kept my powers. That's a relief."

His mind was still hazy, but the situation was clearer now.

> "I want answers, but right now… I need control. I need to start somewhere small."

He stepped out of the alley cautiously, blinking at the world outside.

> "Kang Minjae got beat up by the local gang again. No one helped. He was just... background noise to this city."

He passed a mirror-like window and paused.

A bruised, unfamiliar face stared back.

Still, beneath it, Raizen smiled faintly.

> "A classic school-gang setup in a cold urban world. Yep… and judging by the language, signs, and faces — this is Korea."

Seoul, maybe? The dense skyline, flickering LED ads, and endless noise made it feel like a capital.

A cold, busy place where no one noticed a bruised boy bleeding in an alley.

---

A new screen flashed before him, bright and bold.

---

[MAIN QUEST 1]:

Objective: Reach Multiversal Level

Time Limit: ??:??:??

---

> "Multiversal… Level?"

He tilted his head.

> "What's with the question marks in the time limit? Does that mean… unlimited time?"

---

[SYSTEM]:

"No. The question marks are there because the quest may evolve. From Multiversal… to something far beyond."

"I also cannot calculate the exact time it will take. It could be a second. It could be billions of years. No one can predict the cosmos."

---

Raizen's eyes widened.

He laughed under his breath, both amazed and horrified.

> "…What kind of monster goal is this? I was expecting a dungeon or something, not this cosmic bullshit."

His fingers trembled — not from fear, but anticipation.

He glanced back toward the alley, then forward toward the rising skyline.

> "Alright then. Let's climb the infinite."

---

CHAPTER 3 — END

[Author's Note:

Hello everyone! I’ve updated this chapter with some improvements and added more details to make the story more immersive. I'm still learning and improving my writing, so your support means a lot to me. If you enjoy the story or have any feedback, feel free to leave a comment — it really help. Thank you for reading and joining me on this journey. Much more is coming soon.]