The pale blue holographic screen shimmered before Jae-Hyun-Woo’s eyes, a starkly digital anomaly in the familiar, analog reality of his childhood bedroom. The initial shock of regression warred with a surging wave of awe and a potent sense of opportunity. This wasn’t a dream. This wasn't the hazy, powerless state of death. This was real. He was here, ten years younger, with the memories of a life already lived and a power that felt both alien and intrinsically linked to his very being.

  He reached out a trembling hand, his fingers passing through the holographic surface without resistance. As his hand neared the options displayed – [Status Window], [Inventory], [Skills], [Quests] – they seemed to subtly ripple, as if acknowledging his intent.

  He started with the most fundamental. Focusing on [Status Window], he willed the system to open it.

  The holographic display shifted, the main menu receding to be replaced by a new screen filled with parameters and numbers.

  [Status]

  Name: Jae-Hyun-Woo

  Age: 18

  Hunter Rank: Unregistered

  Level: 1

  Attributes:

  Strength: 5

  Agility: 7

  Vitality: 6

  Intelligence: 8

  Perception: 9

  Remaining Attribute Points: 0

  Unique Attributes:

  [Mythic Potential: EX] - Potential for limitless growth, transcending conventional limits. Details hidden.

  [Timeline Echo: I] - Grants fragmented memories and insights from a past timeline. (Current Sync: 10%)

  Jae-Hyun-Woo stared at the numbers. Level 1. Strength 5. These were the baseline stats of an untrained civilian, maybe even slightly below average for someone his age who hadn't yet undergone hunter training. A stark contrast to the worn, capable body he'd inhabited just moments (or was it years?) ago.

  A wave of disappointment washed over him, quickly followed by a grim determination. Of course. He was starting from scratch, physically. But his true power wasn't in these initial numbers. It was in the knowledge he carried and the system itself.

  His gaze fixed on the [Unique Attributes]. [Mythic Potential: EX]. Limitless growth. This was the goddess’s gift, the core of the Mythic System. It promised a path to power that defied the limitations of his past life. And [Timeline Echo: I]. Fragmented memories and insights. 10% Sync. It confirmed his foreknowledge wasn't just a perfect replay, but something the system was managing, perhaps revealing information as needed or as he grew stronger.

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  He closed the Status Window and focused on [Inventory]. The display changed again, showing a grid of empty slots. At the very top, a single icon glowed faintly – a small, intricately carved stone.

  [Item: Fragment of the Goddess's Blessing]

  Rank: Mythic (Untradable)

  Description: A residual piece of the benevolent goddess's power, integrated with the user's soul. Serves as the core of the Mythic System. Provides basic System functions and unlimited inventory space (within logical constraints). Further capabilities unlock with user growth.

  It wasn't a weapon or armor, but the source of the system itself. Untradable, intrinsically linked to him. It felt… right. He now had an infinite inventory, a simple but incredibly useful feature he’d often envied in stories he’d heard of legendary hunters.

  Next, [Skills]. The screen populated with just one entry.

  [Active Skill: Basic Hunter Proficiency (Level 1)]

  Rank: E

  Description: Fundamental skills for a hunter, including basic combat stances, weapon handling (common types), and elementary monster anatomy knowledge. Effectiveness is heavily reliant on user Attributes. Can be improved through practice and System guidance.

  Basic Hunter Proficiency. Level 1. It was the starting skill of every hunter academy cadet. The very foundation he’d spent years building upon in his past life. It felt almost ironic.

  He closed the Skills window, a sense of anticlimax settling in. Level 1 stats, one basic skill, and an empty inventory save for the system core. It was a far cry from the seasoned, if average, hunter he’d been.

  But then he remembered the final notification from the system’s initialization. [Quests Available.]

  He focused on [Quests]. The screen presented a single entry, prominently displayed and glowing with a soft urgency.

  [Scenario Quest: The First Step]

  Difficulty: F

  Objective: Successfully enroll in the Hunter Academy.

  Reward: +5 All Attributes, Skill: [System Basics], Unlocks [Daily Quests] feature.

  Penalty for Failure: System Deactivation (Permanent).

  Enroll in the Hunter Academy. The very thing he was scheduled to do in one month. It was an F-rank quest, the lowest possible difficulty. For someone with the knowledge of a veteran hunter, even in a younger body, it should be incredibly simple.

  But the penalty… System Deactivation (Permanent). The stakes were immediately raised. This wasn't just a tutorial quest; it was the crucial first step that determined if he would even have this power. The system, in its advanced simplicity, wasn't taking his second chance for granted.

  A grim smile touched his lips. The Hunter Academy. He remembered it well. The rigorous training, the aptitude tests, the initial assessment that had labeled him "average." This time, it would be different. He wouldn't just enroll; he would excel. He would use his foreknowledge to get ahead, to learn faster, to train smarter.

  He looked at his current, pathetic stats. Strength 5. Agility 7. He remembered the strength needed to swing a heavy axe, the agility required to dodge a monster's charge. He had a long way to go.

  But he had the map. He had the knowledge. He knew which dungeons would appear when, which monsters to hunt for specific cores, which training methods were the most efficient. And he had a system that promised limitless growth.

  The gods saw his world as a game. This quest, "The First Step," felt like the very beginning of their tutorial.

  Fine, he thought, his gaze hardening. You want me to play your game? I’ll play. But I’m not playing by your rules anymore.

  He closed the holographic screen, the light fading from the air. He stood in his childhood bedroom, the morning sun now streaming through the window, illuminating the path ahead. He was 18 again, an unregistered hunter with baseline stats and one basic skill. But he was also a regressor, armed with the future and a power granted by a goddess.

  He looked towards the door, towards the rest of the apartment where Mia was likely starting to stir. His primary motivation, his reason for everything.

  He would enroll in that academy. He would complete that quest. He would get stronger. Strong enough to protect her, strong enough to prevent the tragedies to come, and strong enough to eventually face the cruel, distant beings who played with their lives.

  He took a deep breath, the familiar air of his home filling his lungs. This was his starting line.

  Game on.