---

– Goooooo!

An overwhelming energy surged like a storm. And more chilling than that energy was a sinister killing intent.

“Ugh…!”

Lee Ha-yeon, the apprentice executor, swallowed her nausea and knelt down. The only thought swirling in her chaotic mind was one.

‘Something’s gone wrong.’

With great effort, Lee Ha-yeon managed to lift her head and gaze down.

It was an alley with a scattering of illegally parked cars. Two men were glaring at each other in confrontation.

One was a returning hero from another world, a Celestial Demon, who had just returned to this world from an otherworldly realm.

With a sharp yet fierce demeanor, from the way he stood to the aura that seemed to naturally radiate from him, it was as if he exuded the confidence of being the strongest of all.

“Well, what do you think? Can you still afford to chatter away in your little practice training?”

With a relaxed smile, the leader of the Demon Clan, the Celestial Demon, boldly spread his arms.

In contrast, the man standing in his way was quite the opposite.

He had disheveled hair and a scruffy beard as if it had barely been trimmed. His worn-out coat looked like it hadn’t been ironed in ages. He was fairly tall, but his slouched posture made it hard to notice.

Compared to the imposing Celestial Demon, he looked utterly pathetic. Not only in appearance, but even the aura he projected was annoyingly faint, to the point where one doubted if a fight could even occur.

Which of these two men was truly stronger?

Most would likely not ponder it for long. To put it plainly, anyone would bet on the Celestial Demon, who was radiating an overwhelming aura.

However, Lee Ha-yeon, feeling like she had no choice, had to pick the other option with reluctance.

The man daring enough to block the Celestial Demon was none other than the head of the executor office where she had decided to undertake her apprenticeship.

It was Executor Kwon Tae-ho.

‘Am I really going to mess things up this time…?’

With tears welling in her eyes from the oppressive atmosphere surrounding her, Lee Ha-yeon thought.

What on earth had led to this situation?

To answer that question, we must rewind back a few hours.

A few hours earlier.

In the northernmost district of Seoul, Gangbuk-gu, specifically in the desolate neighborhood of Uidoong.

And even within that Uidoong, there was a forlorn, eerie alley far removed from the main streets.

On the second floor of a decades-old commercial building, an incongruous clean sign hung by itself.

[ Kwon Tae-ho Executor Office ]

What is an executor?

They are a shield protecting the citizens and guardians of order!

Suppressing dangerous criminals and contributing to social safety. They could be regarded as the living heroes of this era.

However, contrary to such public reputation, the local residents had a different brutal opinion about Kwon Tae-ho’s office.

[ Kwon Tae-ho Executor, prepare compensation measures for the residents and implement them immediately! ]
[ Executors who see civilians as mere targets aren’t worthy of being called executors! ]
[ Opposed to excessive suppression! Returnees are people too! ]
[ Kwon Tae-ho, get lost and die! ]

Numerous posters and flyers plastered on the entrance of the building leading to the office.

Each one was as fresh as if just printed yesterday. And it was no wonder, since every time they were taken down, the residents would just put them back up the next day.

The dreadful sight at this entrance was enough to explain the castigation surrounding Executor Kwon Tae-ho.

I can assure you, among all the executor offices in Seoul, there would be just a handful that could match the disrepute of this one.

“Hmm.”

And thus, Kwon Tae-ho found it astonishing.

“So you want to train as an apprentice executor in our office?”

Why on earth did this woman choose our office out of all the many executor offices available?

“Yes, yes! That’s right!”

With a vibrant, lively response, Kwon Tae-ho shifted his gaze from the documents and focused on her.

There stood a woman in the photo attached to the top of her resume, upright in a splendid posture.

Her height was in the mid-150s, with a youthful face that looked like she was in her early twenties. Her bobbed hair fell neatly, and her bright green eyes sparkled.

Green eyes might seem like a rare feature in Korea, but nowadays, that’s not necessarily the case. The changing color of hair or eyes is one of the common side effects that returnees experience.

‘From her appearance, she seems more suited for high school than being an executor.’

As that thought crossed Kwon Tae-ho’s mind, he glanced back at her resume.

“Name: Lee Ha-yeon. Age: twenty-six. Education: High school equivalency diploma. Returnee. Caught in a dimensional rift at thirteen, and returned five years ago at twenty-one.”

As he read her history, Kwon Tae-ho thought it was quite an unusual case.

After all, getting involved in the dimensional crisis at just thirteen and managing to return alive was impressive.

For victims in that age group, the return rate was roughly 10%. Most of the survivors were ones who were fortunate enough to transition to peaceful worlds.

“The dimensional rift’s number was S-007 Lapeng… What kind of world is that?”

“Yes, yes! It’s a world similar to modern Earth where superhumans exist…!”

“So, how was your history there?”

“I was fortunate enough to enter an orphanage shortly after I crossed over and went to high school! After that, I interned in an office and then came back here….”

“A highly peaceful life you’ve led. Quite lucky, indeed.”

That made Kwon Tae-ho even more puzzled.

“Then if you were working a normal office job over there, you could do the same here. Why come all the way to be an executor?”

Executors are guardians of order in this chaotic era, regarded as heroes completely admired by citizens.

People tend to think that way, but objectively speaking, being an executor isn’t such a great career choice.

High work intensity, risks to personal safety depending on the task, and realistically, the pay isn’t much to brag about.

While a few executors might ride on their fame and do commercial work, that is a tiny fraction. Even Kwon Tae-ho struggled to pay the rent of this office in the outskirts of Seoul.

“Um….”

In response to Kwon Tae-ho’s question, Lee Ha-yeon hesitated and averted her gaze.

It wasn’t a hesitation born of nervousness. She furrowed her brows slightly, avoiding his eyes as if there was something intricate to explain.

“…Let’s save that for later. We can discuss it again.”

Then, Kwon Tae-ho corrected his earlier judgement.

Returnees typically seek a comfortable life post-return. After being kidnapped to another world and enduring all sorts of hardships, it’s only natural.

Still, choosing a dangerous job like that of an executor is generally due to one of two reasons.

Either they can’t forget the thrill of the ‘powers’ they wielded in that other world and wish to wield them here, or they have complex circumstances that compel them to take such a dangerous path.

For example, a returnee whose family was killed might choose to become an executor out of a desire for revenge.

“Anyway, you want to undertake your training in our office.”

“Yes! I’ve heard Executor Kwon Tae-ho is renowned for his exceptional strength and charisma in subduing any criminal! I aspire to be a splendid executor like you!”

It was a response that sounded almost rehearsed. Kwon Tae-ho couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Well, it’s probably easier to hear about my infamy than my fame.”

“No, that’s not it! Not at all! I swear it’s different!”

“No need to deny it. It’s the truth. You must have seen the posters outside when you came in, right? I appear in the news often, primarily due to controversies over excessive suppression or issues related to my character.”

Kwon Tae-ho’s self-deprecating words made Lee Ha-yeon sweat nervously. Watching her fidget like a puppy afraid of its owner, Kwon Tae-ho’s lips curled into a smile.

“Well, it’s true that I’d be grateful if you decided to do your training here. If we take on an intern, we get hefty subsidies from the government. Your salary would be covered and then some. So I won’t even pose the cliché question of ‘Why did you pick our office?’ Since regardless of your response, I’m going to accept your internship application anyway.”

“Th-thank you—”

“But there’s one thing. As someone aiming to be an executor, there’s a question I want to ask you as a current executor.”

Gulp.

Lee Ha-yeon’s gulp echoed quietly in the room.

‘The mood just shifted….’

While she’d tried to flatter him with kind words, Kwon Tae-ho had been exactly as she had imagined him—just “as the rumors say.”

With messy hair and a scruff that looked like he hadn’t cared in ages. His shirt looked perpetually wrinkled and his mannerisms and attitude resembled those of a slacker.

Yet, when he took on a serious tone, it felt as if the atmosphere itself changed.

Even while seated, a sense of imposing presence and aura wafted from him, which was precisely as the rumors had described.

Executor Kwon Tae-ho.

Though rumors abound regarding his character and work style, when it comes to sheer power, he is undoubtedly among the strongest executors in South Korea.

Now, he was quietly posing a question to her, the apprentice taking her first steps as an executor.

“What do you think returnees are, in the eyes of an executor? Give me a brief answer.”

“Um? That is….”

A surprisingly fundamental question given the tense atmosphere.

Answering shouldn’t be hard; it was something she had addressed in her selection for executor interviews.

“Ultimately, I believe we must provide assistance to those who are struggling to readjust to society….”

“Zero points.”

“Pardon?”

Yet, Kwon Tae-ho’s evaluation was harsh. He looked as though he thought to himself, ‘Of course.’

“That answer is a zero for an executor. Returnees needing assistance? That is the mindset for management officials or social workers involved with returnees. An executor’s answer should be different.”

“Um, is that so…?”

That’s hardly true. Lee Ha-yeon had answered similarly in her interview. She’d done well enough to gain her acceptance and stand here now.

“Indeed, it is true that returnees need help. But, as I said, it’s the officers or social workers who provide them assistance. Our job differs. We subdue and arrest those returnees—only a small fraction of them—who cannot adapt to this world and commit crimes. Is there any disagreement with that?”

“No, uh… none….”

“Then from that perspective, let me ask again. What are returnees?”

Lee Ha-yeon couldn’t respond. Plenty of thoughts buzzed, but she found it impossible to choose an appropriate answer.

Having passed the executor selection exam and made it here, she had interacted with quite a number of executors. Yet, she had never met one as blunt and forthright as Kwon Tae-ho.

“Um, could you perhaps provide the correct answer…?”

“There are incorrect answers to this question, but no correct one. As an executor, it’s essential that each person answers according to their convictions. However, if I were to state my answer…”

“…”

“Returnees can be summed up in one word: bombs.”

“…What?”

“To elaborate: they’re like delusional middle schoolers, the kind that could explode at any moment.”

Lee Ha-yeon froze instantly at such a severe critique.

Even if an executor’s primary job involved forceful suppression, wasn’t that wording a bit too aggressive?

But Kwon Tae-ho showed no sign of embarrassment in his stance.

“Think about it. An ordinary citizen, living a normal life, suddenly gets transported to another world. And not just any world, but one filled with fantasy, martial arts, and sci-fi… Just a more ‘special’ realm than the one they lived in before. Do you know the common delusion held by those who’ve crossed over to such a special world?”

“…”

“It’s the delusional belief that they are special as well.”

They believe they are exceptional because such an event occurred to them. Having experienced such a unique event, they think of themselves as chosen beings.

In reality, victims caught in dimensional rifts easily surpass one hundred million, yet those directly involved remain unaware of the sheer number.

Thus, they perceive themselves as special.

They think, “A special opportunity has come to me,” that sort of reasoning.

Not all returnees view the rift incident as an opportunity.

Those who lived diligently in their previous lives, or those who left behind precious people in their former world—such events seem more like horrific tragedies to them.

However.

Not everyone interprets the crossing experience solely as a tragedy.

Many people are dissatisfied with their lives.

For those individuals, transitioning to a world that only appears in stories is literally a new opportunity.

“So, anyone caught up in that rift ends up trying to adapt and survive in the new world. There’s no way back to the original world, after all. It’s inevitable. But while attempting to adapt and survive, they end up building or creating something in that world, no matter how small.”

“Building and creating….”

“There could be all sorts of things. It could be sheer brute force, invisible wealth or power, or honorable accomplishments. It could even be relationships. They might forge new friendships or find a partner, or perhaps they form a new family over there…”

When a returnee returns to their original world, it indicates they survived in the alternate realm.

And surviving means that they accumulated or built something there.

So, in other words.

Returnees can be regarded as people who, from a different perspective, lost everything they built and ‘returned’ to their original world.

“If they forge bonds, that becomes their hometown. For someone like you who spent over a decade in the other world, it’s practically a second home. Some may even be more satisfied with their lives there than their previous one. In fact, quite a few do. And the problem is, those are typically the ones who cause trouble.”

Kwon Tae-ho shook his head in exasperation as he continued.

“As you might guess, this return phenomenon occurs without any warning. Someone who was thriving with accomplishments in the other world suddenly gets returned without warning. They lose everything they’ve achieved in an instant. When they come back to their senses, they find the now-familiar life of reality rushing back to them all at once. Most cannot accept that abrupt change.”

They were doing well enough to adjust.

They had built something over there.

They had precious people on that side.

“How can they be told to abandon it all and resume their lives back here without warning? It’s angering and frustrating, you know?”

Lee Ha-yeon struggled to understand him fully. She had always wished for her return while keeping family and friends in mind.

However, Lee Ha-yeon was well aware that not everyone shared her perspective.

“And, tragically, most returnees possess the ability to express and vent that frustration and anger easily: powers. They return with the abilities acquired in that alternate realm. That’s the reason the crime rate among returnees is notoriously high compared to ordinary citizens.”

A sudden change in life.

A severance from all the relationships they’d built.

Feelings of alienation stemming from it.

Isolation from the reality they had left behind, which had continued on without them for nearly a decade.

Such things were what urged returnees to explode. Kwon Tae-ho spoke in a calm voice.

“And that is why I call returnees bombs. They are unpredictable hazards that might explode at any moment. They could go off right after they return or even after some time has passed. A bomb that was thought to have misfired might suddenly detonate, or a bomb that has already gone off may go off again.”

However, there is one difference.

Bombs usually detonate when subjected to impact, while returnees can be subdued with violence.

“Violence? But Executor, isn’t that… too…”

Lee Ha-yeon struggled to continue, unable to finish her sentence at the extreme viewpoint.

Seeing her reaction, Kwon Tae-ho chuckled as if it were obvious.

“What? Is that a too extreme viewpoint?”

“Well, um…”

“You can speak honestly. Just because you think differently than me doesn’t mean you’ll face any repercussions.”

Hesitating for a moment, Lee Ha-yeon finally spoke up cautiously.

“I understand what you’re saying, but isn’t that a bit too generalized? I mean, no… not every returnee is a criminal, right?”

“True. That’s a good point.”

Kwon Tae-ho nodded in agreement as a peculiar smile appeared on his lips.

Even as an apprentice, she had the guts to properly retort against the opinions of a full-fledged executor. Such spirit was commendable.

However, simultaneously, the innocent words of an apprentice, who was still entirely inexperienced in the field, made him suppress a chuckle.

“Your statement holds true. Not every returnee is a criminal. Not every returnee abuses their power irresponsibly.”

But.

“However, the returnees you’ll encounter while working are all likely to be exactly that type. Through executor work, in time, you’ll likely adopt a viewpoint similar to mine. It’s not possible to tell at first glance whether a returnee is a bomb or not, so treating all of them as bombs is simply a safer way to deal with them.”

“…Does that mean I, as a returnee, would also appear to you as a bomb?”

It was a blunt and pointed statement. Yet Kwon Tae-ho answered without hesitation.

“Of course. You certainly appear to be one, just as I see myself. I remain aware, always, that I am a bomb that could explode at any moment.”

While his words were rather harsh for someone yet to call themselves a full apprentice, Kwon Tae-ho thought that knowing these realities quickly would indeed benefit her.

Kwon Tae-ho shared those thoughts with Lee Ha-yeon.

“Fortunately, as mentioned earlier, returnees can be suppressed with greater violence than they possess. Thus, I always contend that to returnees, violence is their kryptonite.”

To returnees, violence is their kryptonite.

That became the creed of Kwon Tae-ho’s office, grounded in experiences gained from years as an executor. At least, Kwon Tae-ho thought of it that way.

“….”

From the perspective of Lee Ha-yeon, who had only just arrived at the office, thoughts of whether this extreme executor was suitable sent a shiver down her spine.

…Had she really chosen the wrong office for her training?

– Ring, ring, ring!!

But at that moment.

The office phone began ringing loudly.

“Kwon Tae-ho.”

Kwon Tae-ho stretched out his arm to answer the phone and glanced at Lee Ha-yeon. A grin quickly spread across his face.

“Understood. I see. I’ll head there right away.”

– Click.

“Um, Executor? Is something going on…?”

“Congratulations, rookie. A precious opportunity to witness the harsh realities of the field has just presented itself on your doorstep, right from your first day of training.”

“Huh?”

“There’s a returnee causing a ruckus in our office’s jurisdiction. Claiming to be a ‘Celestial Demon,’ no less.”

“A Celestial Demon…?”

Under ordinary circumstances, unless someone had read a few martial arts novels, that term could be a bit perplexing. However, in a world overflowing with returnees, it was common knowledge.

Celestial Demon.

The leader of the Celestial Demon Church. The supreme ruler of the martial arts world. The absolute being. The mightiest of all.

Such terms swirled confusedly through Lee Ha-yeon’s mind. A fear she had subconsciously harbored began to surface on her face.

“Let’s go.”

In contrast, Kwon Tae-ho’s expression bore no fear, only a beaming smile.

“It’s time to hunt a Celestial Demon.”