I Woke Up as the Villain

In the outside world, only three years had elapsed, but the incredibly lengthy period of 250 years had passed for Yu-Seong. It was a period of time difficult to grasp within the context of a human lifespan. However, due to his unwavering dedication to his training, Yu-Seong seemed oblivious to the magnitude of those years.

"...Time's up."

"Already?"

In response to Gabriel's tone, which had never changed since the beginning, Yu-Seong unconsciously chuckled and scratched the back of his head. He muttered, "Yeah, that does sound a bit strange. It was a whole 250 years..."

As he was inside the sanctuary of the transcendent beings, Yu-Seong's appearance had hardly changed over the years. His hair hadn't grown, and there were no visible signs of aging on his face. The only noticeable difference was the slightly worn-out clothes, which he had actually repaired several times.

"Time is indeed a peculiar thing. When you're eagerly awaiting something, it feels unbearably slow. However, when you reflect on the past, it seems to have flown by in the blink of an eye… It gains a relative value.”

Gabriel, the only transcendent being out of the three who could manipulate time, spoke in a manner befitting his ability. Casually flicking his finger, he continued, "The extension of time has come to an end.”

"Wow... So, from now on, time will flow like..." Yu-Seong said.

"That's right. It will flow just like normal."

"It's difficult to fully comprehend the reality of it.”

"As time passes and your physical body ages, you will naturally come to understand things that you once wished to remain ignorant of. Well... But considering your current state, even though you will age, it won't make much of a difference," Gabriel said.

Yu-Seong smiled with confidence as he gazed down at his hands, which were adorned with calluses. In truth, Gabriel's words were indeed accurate. Entering the sanctuary of the transcendent beings in the first place was a choice he had made, having assumed the worst-case scenario.

The weight of facing Eveheim, the Godfather of the Demon King Worshipers and the ultimate antagonist of the original novel, was indescribable. However, Yu-Seong’s thoughts had changed slightly.

"Perhaps it's because I've been so well-trained by the three masters... I feel like even Eveheim won't be a problem."

"Don't get too conceited. While it's true that your talent has surpassed expectations, Eveheim is an abnormal monster with thousands of years of knowledge and wisdom. Complacency will only bring about your demise," Gabriel warned.

With a wide smile, Yu-Seong nodded. "I will keep that in mind, master. So now, I should return to where I originally was…"

"Ah, before that, there are a few things that need to be addressed. First, it's about your secret," Gabriel replied.

Yu-Seong had only one secret: he was originally a reader of the novel who had transmigrated into the story as a character, eventually reaching this very point.

From Yu-Seong's perspective, the hundred years he had spent with Gabriel was the longest he had spent with someone. Yu-Seong also respected, trusted, and followed Gabriel as his master. There was no reason to keep the secret, and Gabriel had given it serious thought over the past time and reached a certain conclusion.

"It's not entirely impossible. The universe is vast, and there are countless places similar to the world we know. In such cases, when two souls recognize each other come into contact, there is a possibility of fusion."

"Two souls aware of each other?" Yu-Seong questioned as his eyes widened in surprise at Gabriel's unexpected words.

"It's something I've heard from Green. There is a supreme god, one of the top deities in the universe, who presents stories to individuals with the same soul. Through these stories, the god stimulates and inspires their souls, potentially leading to the fusion of their souls," Gabriel explained.

"Oh my... Are you saying…?"

"You said you’ve heard about doppelgangers before, didn't you?” asked Gabriel.

"Yes, I've read about them in novels. However, when I look at myself and this Choi Yu-Seong, we look so different..."

"Don't think that doppelgangers are merely defined by physical resemblance. It is the twin souls that truly make them doppelgangers. In fact, the true doppelgangers are those whose souls are completely identical," Gabriel clarified.

"Twin souls..."

In other words, it meant that the initial cowardly Yu-Seong and the current Yu-Seong were not fundamentally different beings.

"I have come to realize this while teaching you, and I can say with absolute certainty that you are Baek Yu-Ri's son. And you are Choi Yu-Seong," Gabriel declared.

"...I understand," Yu-Seong replied, finally understanding why Gabriel had brought up this topic first.

After all, Yu-Seong had thought he had suddenly transmigrated into the novel and became a completely different person. He would have been lying to himself if he said that he didn't experience any confusion about his identity in this situation. Even if it wasn't apparent at the moment, such wavering could eventually become a small crack that would lead to a significant turning point.

"If we put it in simpler terms, I suppose I've awakened the memories of a different world," Yu-Seong mused.

"As expected of my disciple, you have good comprehension," Gabriel said with a satisfied smile as he nodded vigorously.

It was a bright smile, the kind that Yu-Seong had never seen from Gabriel.

"It seems you can smile like that too, master. It's the first time I've seen it," Yu-Seong remarked.

"...Hmm, hmm," Gabriel cleared his throat, appearing somewhat awkward.

His gaze, which had been warm, turned cold again. Then, he continued, "The second topic we need to discuss... It pertains to your birth and the feud.”

"Oh, that part has already been explained by master Green," Yu-Seong mentioned.

"...Huh?" Gabriel's eyes widened.

Evidently, there was something the transcendent beings had agreed not to discuss with Yu-Seong.

"I was supposed to tell you about it once all your training was complete..."

"I was so curious that I couldn't help but plead with him. As you know, Master Green is somewhat soft-hearted," Yu-Seong explained.

"...He simply enjoys chatting," Gabriel replied with a sigh, rubbing his forehead. "In that case, I don't have to talk about this story."

"Yes, it's truly like fate... I never imagined that my mother was a disciple of yours, Master Gabriel," Yu-Seong exclaimed, his astonishment evident in his voice.

"...If that traitor hadn't taken her life, I'm certain that your mother would have become the owner of the red door," Gabriel stated.

In a way, Baek Yu-Ri had been one of the upcoming transcendent beings. And Woo-Jae, without knowing this fact, had genuinely fallen in love with her and had believed her to be an ordinary woman. Indeed, it was something unimaginable not only in the past but also in the present for him.

However, it was evident that the two of them had deeply loved each other during that brief period, and as a result, Yu-Seong had been conceived in Baek Yu-Ri's womb—an unforeseen twist of fate.

Instead of considering this incident as his own mistake, Woo-Jae had regarded it as a symbol of their love. He had also made a promise to Baek Yu-Ri—to never abandon Yu-Seong and to trust him until the end.

‘So, that's why, even in the original novel, Choi Woo-Jae believed in Choi Yu-Seong until the end.’

It was because of this promise that Do-Jin ended up assassinating Woo-Jae. Yu-Seong's death was not Woo-Jae's intention after all.

‘So he kept his promise until the very end.’

Upon learning this truth, Yu-Seong fully understood the excessive protectiveness of Woo-Jae that had been somewhat incomprehensible before.

‘And moved by his words, my mother, with master's permission, revealed the story of the transcendent beings to him…’

In fact, Woo-Jae had been shocked to learn about the new world.

‘Despite that, he never stopped pursuing his path.’

Truly, he was not an ordinary ambitious man.

"He wasn't someone I particularly liked. He had multiple women besides your mother and was driven by his own desires. However, despite all that, I trusted him. With his ambition and sharp mind, I believed he would be capable of safeguarding that child... I was arrogant."

Of course, the outcome had been inevitable given that his opponent was Eveheim. However, even with that in mind, her death was still too heartbreaking to even think about.

"And when you declared that you would kill Eveheim, I couldn't help but sense your fate," Gabriel stated.

"But originally, you intended to kill me, right?" Yu-Seong asked.

"...An outsider entering the sanctuary of the transcendent beings is against the rules. This kind of variable should never happen again. You, too, came to this place because of your knowledge of the world you’ve read in another world. It's impossible for someone else to replicate the same thing. And even if the same situation were to occur, my choice would be no different," Gabriel explained.

"Master, I already know you're the obstinate kind," Yu-Seong replied with a bright smile as he looked into Gabriel's firm blue eyes.

It was indeed Yu-Seong who had initially broken the rules. Surviving and reaching this point was a fortunate sequence of events that could only be described as fate.

‘If I hadn't been my mother's son…’

However, Baek Yu-Ri had been a student of the transcendent beings, and Eveheim had been her enemy. In many ways, everything was a good fit.

‘I have a feeling I know why that bastard looked at me with such eyes.’ 

Perhaps it was because he had embraced his true self as Yu-Seong entirely. Naturally, anger toward Eveheim, the one who had murdered his mother, had taken hold in his heart.

"Well then, there is only one more story I need to share with you. However, before I do, I want you to make a promise," Gabriel said.

"A promise?" Yu-Seong questioned.

"Yes. It is my hope—no, it is our hope that once you have taken revenge on all your enemies, you will return to this place and serve as the owner of one of the doors," Gabriel explained.

Yu-Seong's eyes widened in surprise at Gabriel's unexpected proposition. With only one thing that his master’s words could mean, he asked, "You... Are you granting me the qualification of a transcendent being?"

Gabriel nodded heavily in response to Yu-Seong's question. He proceeded to explain, "Your growth over the past 250 years has been remarkable, surpassing all of our expectations. To be frank, you have not only exceeded our predictions but have also demonstrated the qualifications to become one of the owners of the doors purely through your strength alone.”

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"I don't think I'm quite at that level," Yu-Seong replied, scratching his cheek with a perplexed expression.

It was true that he had gained a considerable amount of confidence in his own abilities. If he were to venture into the outside world, he would likely be pointed at and labeled as a monster. However, when compared to the three transcendent masters who immediately came to mind, he couldn't help but feel significantly inadequate in comparison.

"Though you still lack some experience, time will resolve those aspects. So, how will you respond to our proposal?" Gabriel asked.

After a moment of contemplation, Yu-Seong tightly closed his eyes and shook his head. He replied, "I'm sorry. I know that I have to accept your proposal, which comes from the masters, no matter what, but…"

"Are you concerned for your acquaintances on Earth?" Gabriel asked.

"...you’re right," Yu-Seong honestly confessed.

Gabriel let out a short laugh, then asked, "I was a bit hasty. Let me correct myself. Yu-Seong, after you have enjoyed your life as a human, would you be able to return here and take ownership of a door?"

The life of a transcendent being was close to infinite, but the life of a human was finite. Having already lived for a long time, there was no reason why the transcendent beings who still had eons to live couldn't wait for a century or so.

"After I finish my life as a human..."

Would there come a time when he no longer harbored any attachments to the world? Yu-Seong couldn't envision that moment clearly yet. However, if such a time were to come, he felt he could answer without hesitation.

"I will do that. When that time comes, I will return to this place and be with you, Master," Yu-Seong declared.

"Thank you," Gabriel responded, a faint smile appearing on his face once again.