Chapter Text
Hey guys, Paradox here, and I've decided to test out an idea I have in regards to Solo Leveling. It is a generic idea that involves going back in time to do things all over again, which, for the series, is pretty much how it ends. The difference is that due to an abnormal flux of mana caused a state of disruption during the rewinding process.
So, rather than going back ten years to the past with the full authority as the Shadow Monarch, Jin-woo finds himself just four years back to the days before he became a hunter. On top of that, he loses all of his abilities as well and realizes the gravity of the situation. All of his efforts, gains, victories, and rewards weren't just gone in a blinding light, but rather they were undone. Undone by the Cup of Reincarnation. This also meant that his defeats, shortcomings, and failures were too, also undone. The only thing he had was the knowledge, memories, and experiences of the previous timeline. Knowledge that he had at his disposal to try to create a better future.
So in a nutshell, Jin-woo goes back four years, where everything he had achieved was undone, loses his powers, and must regain them once again in order to change the future against the Monarchs. So expect changes, alterations of events, and a serious butterfly effect that will continue to widen as Jin-woo tries to change certain events.
Like I said in the beginning, this will be an experiment for me. Not only do I want to see if this story idea gains any traction, but I also want to test my knowledge of the series. After watching the anime multiple times, reading the manhwa, a bit of the light novel, and currently playing Arise, I do want to see if I can put everything I know into a world-building story. I've had this idea for some time, but I was always hesitant to start due to my lack of knowledge of the series. Even now, I still feel that way. So I've decided to start small to see where I am at.
Without further ado, let's dive right in.
After everything that's happened.
After all was said and done.
This was all that Sung Jin-Woo, successor to Ashborn, the new Shadow Monarch, could achieve.
Jin-woo looks at the skewered, bloodied piece of meat and mana that was Antares, the Monarch of Destruction, dead. Deader than dead, in fact, to the multiple weapons that had pierced his body.
Dead...but not by his hand, however.
Rather by them
Rulers of Brilliant Light. Light whose rays can pierce any in its gaze. Anyone else would've been too stunned to even react.
Jin-Woo merely rolled his eyes and groaned out. The fight with Antares took much more than he anticipated. Even though he hated to admit it, the big lizard bastard really did hold his own against him. Jin-woo's ego was certainly more wounded than his body, for he wanted Antares dead at his feet before their arrival.
Sometimes, we don't always get what we want.
Still, that didn't mean he wouldn't get another chance. Especially with what he had planned to set out to do.
"Even if you were to use the Cup of Reincarnation to turn back time. The deceased Monarchs will be revived and their memories retained, and you wish to shoulder all you have experienced once again." The Rulers said.
"I do." Jin-Woo spoke plainly.
"Why go so far? For we too, used the Cup of Reincarnation many times and have never achieved what you have here." The Rulers asked.
"Too many were lost today. Both innocent and valiant. I want to bring them back." Jin-Woo declared.
"The Cup of Reincarnation will soon expire. If you fail, you won't be able to turn back time again. You could be remembered as the Hero who put a stop to the Monarch's invasion. But no one will remember the fight you seek to start. Even if you achieve what you desire, no one will congratulate you." The Rulers warned
Jin-Woo could only ponder what the Rulers were foreshadowing. Should he do this, then everyone in the world would be unaware of the upcoming shadow war that will happen right under their noses. One man and his legion will wage war against the Monarchs and their hoard, and the whole world will be unaware. Those who became Hunters will lead ordinary lives instead. Those who had perished will have a second chance, much like Jin-Woo had. Mana would not flood the world and take hold of those susceptible to it.
From there, his mind then went to those closest to him.
Jinho
Mr. Song
Joohee
Chairman Woo
Jinah
His mother
Then, to the ones who had perished during all this.
Mr. Kim
Hunter Min
Chairman Go
Adam White
His father
And in the midst of all those people. One person is still out there who shelters his black heart. The one who didn't shy away in the slightest motion, but rather had done the opposite. Someone who managed to fill a void within him that he never thought would be full.
Hae-In
Once again, he is reminded of the promise he made to her.
"Jin-Woo"
"Hmm?"
"Promise me. You'll come see me."
"I promise. I'll come to see you no matter what."
Jin-Woo smiled at the memory of their phone call. He truly intended to come back to her. He truly wanted to make more time with her. Hopefully, once he turns back time, they'll find each other again... no... he'll make sure to find her again.
"Again, do you want to take this path? Do you wish to save the world in its entirety with your own hands?" Jin-Woo's attention was caught by the Rulers' question, and then merely gave a smile. For he had already decided. This was the way.
"Yes."
With that, the Rulers unveil the Cup of Reincarnation and begin pouring vast amounts of mana to commence the rewinding process. The maelstrom of luminous light began to increase its radius every second. No doubt, everyone from Korea and beyond would begin to notice it.
Unfortunately, that was when something...unexpected occurred.
Golden lights, and lightning cracked in the air. Gale winds picked up from the ground as this weather phenomenon escalates. To Jin-Woo, he thought this was just the usual process when using the relic, but this chain of thought was quickly fleeing. His perception was picking up on the increasing anxiety of the Rulers. That was all Jin-Woo needed to know to figure out that something was wrong. The weather phenomenon was getting worse as the ground shook beneath their feet. Winds began to feel like gravity as Jin-Woo could feel himself being pushed away.
Something was very wrong indeed.
"What's happening?!" He asked, shielding his face with his arms.
"We are unsure. An abnormality has occurred during the pooling process. An excessive amount of mana is now converging." The Rulers said as each figure circled the chalice to attempt to stabilize the rewind process. Within a few seconds, it was clear that things weren't getting better as lightning started striking the ground around them. By the way things were looking, it was clear to Jin-Woo that the chalice wasn't having the intended effect the Rulers were going for. Rather, it almost looked like the relic was fighting back against their control. Things were only going to become worse if the Rulers continued to follow through.
"Stop it! Stop doing what you're doing!" Jin-Woo shouted at them.
"We cannot. It's too late to cease our actions at this stage!" The Rulers said as the chalice ultimately took their chance right out of their hands. In what appears to be a bright light equivalent to a supernova, Jin-Woo, the Rulers, the deceased Monarchs, people, animals, nations, continents, there was no creation or created on Earth spared from being absorbed by the blast. Absolutely no one, not even Jin-Woo and the Rulers, knows what is going to come next as time rewinds back to a certain date and a certain place.
They say revelations are prompted by a certain reaction. For some, it could be a location. Others, it could be a person. In rare instances, it could even be something as random as sound.
For Sung Jin-Woo, that revelation came in the form of a sandbag hitting the ground in front of his feet. He stared at his hands, feeling a sense of déjà vu wave over him.
"But...why do I feel like I've been here before?...wait...where even am I?! The last thing I remember was the Rulers using the Cup of Reincarnation to turn back time." Jin-Woo silently said as he looked at his glove-covered hands. He quickly notes the blue-collar getup he was wearing, along with the hard hat on his head. "Am I at a construction site? The last thing that's missing is..."
"SUNG!"
He turned to the source of the voice and realized who it was. Quite frankly, he had long since put this part of his life and that hardass foreman Bing to rest. "Wait, what is he doing here?! Wait, if he's here, then why am I-?!" Jin-woo was cut off by the foreman again.
"SUNG! What are you doing just standing around for?! Get a move on!" Bing yells out at the very confused Jin-woo. The latter continues to be baffled at who was supposedly his previous employer before awakening as a Hunter.
"No, in fact, didn't this feel like exactly how it happened before? How I had awaken to my Hunter abilities?" Jin-woo questions, but couldn't think of it any further when foreman Bing shoved him lightly, grabbing his attention and knocking off his hard hat.
"Hey, you deaf or something?! Pick up that sandbag and stack it with the others! Go!" Bing told him firmly, but Jin-Woo was still too confused about everything, not to mention now annoyed at the man. He wanted to give a murderous glare at the foreman, but something about him felt off. As if this whole situation couldn't get any weirder, Jin-Woo himself feels like something is wrong with him. He couldn't feel the ever-grand reserves of mana within himself. He couldn't feel the callings of Igris, Iron, Tank, Tusk, Kaisel, or even Beru or Bellion from his shadow. He can't even feel like he could summon his weapons or armor, even if he wanted to.
In short, Jin-Woo felt like he was simply human again.
"Wait, is it because I AM human once more?" He asked himself as the foreman's patience began to boil over.
"Are you stupid or something?! Do you want to get fired?!" Bing told Jin-Woo as the latter felt that he wouldn't resolve anything as long as he was here. He needed to leave the site before he could even figure out what was going on.
"Uhhh...I-I just realized something terrible has happened at home and that I need to go!" Jin-Woo made a dash out in a panic, leaving Foreman Bing very confused.
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?!" He asked, but the young man didn't stop running as Jin-Woo ran out of the site.
Running through the neighborhood, Jin-Woo needed to go somewhere to start making sense of everything, and there was one place that popped into his mind where he could begin.
Home
"I'm home." Jin-Woo said as he walked through the door. Entering the living room, he expected his mother to be tending to the kitchen and Jinah in her room, working on her schoolwork. But alas, the living area was quiet, as was the kitchen. His mom was nowhere in sight. "Maybe she went out to get things for dinner?" Jin-woo thought.
"Oh hey Jin-Woo." The elder Sung turned to the hallway to see Jinah coming from her room. "You're out early. Did that asshat boss of yours finally give you a break?" Jinah asked.
"Uhh...something like that. Hey, do you know when Mom will be back?" Jin-woo asked which Jinah gave a perplexed look. "Be back? You mean from the hospital?" Jinah asked which Jin-woo gave an equally confused expression.
"Uhh, the hospital?" He asked. "Yeah, the hospital. Don't you remember? The doctors told us she's in a coma due to that Eternal Slumber disease." Jinah said, which made Jin-Woo's body go pale. Did he just hear her right? Their mom was in the hospital due to Eternal Slumber? After everything he had to go through to cure her in the first place?
"None of this makes any sense! I cured Mom with the Elixir of Life I've crafted from the Demon Castle. She should be here! Not at the hospital!" Jin-Woo racked his brain over this fact. "Wait, a job from before that I am currently working, Mom is now in the hospital with Eternal Slumber rather than here at home...don't tell me, was this all due to the Cup of Reincarnation?" Jin-Woo thinks of as he attempts to unscramble his thoughts, leading to one important question he needs to ask Jinah.
"Jinah, what date is it today?" He asked.
"The date? What, did you hit your head or something? Is that why you're home early?" Jinah asked when Jin-Woo didn't reply back but rather gave Jinah a serious look.
"It's the 21st of May." Jinah said.
"And the year?" Jin-Woo had to ask, which his sister scoffed at.
"You really did hit your head. It's 2026, dude." Jinah told him, which took Jin-Woo aback even further. None of this made any sense to him. The Cup of Reincarnation was supposed to take him back ten years into the past, not four years. He was still meant to have access to his Monarch powers, but somehow he lost them. With nothing else to ask Jinah, Jin-Woo felt the need to clear his head and headed towards the door.
"Wait, where are you going?!" Jinah asked. "To clear my head of a few things." Jin-Woo said as he promptly left, leaving Jinah confused. Now heading out to the entrance of their apartment, Jin-Woo needed to see for himself if things were exactly as they were four years ago, and it starts with him going to the hospital.
Sometimes, we don't always get what we want.
It really felt like a real gut punch to Jin-Woo as he sat beside his comatose mother, watching her silently. The life support machine she was hooked up to was the only thing that was keeping her alive.
"This wasn't supposed to happen. None of this! Was supposed to happen!" Jin-Woo cried out in his head. When he arrived at the hospital to see his mother, he thought it was all a joke. A dream he was having following his battle with Antares.
But no, this is the reality he was now in.
Rather than his original idea of going back ten years to the Dimensional Crack to face the Monarchs one last time, he went back four years instead, now powerless. Rather than the world remaining as it once was, Mana flows freely across the planet. Rather than everyone leading normal lives with normal jobs, dreams, and ambitions, Hunters arose to respond to the presence of the Gates that opened up everything.
Simply put, Jin-Woo's original plan had failed the moment he had set foot here. Now admitting on his own accord, Jin-Woo had lost.
Rather than trying to save everyone from a bitter fate from the Gates and the Monarchs, Jin-Woo now fears there will be casualties in this upcoming war. A war that he intended to fight on his own will now have humanity at the forefront in this fight, along with him.
Sometimes, we don't always get what we want.
His thoughts turn to the Rulers and the last time he was with them. Did they deceive him? Did they sabotage the chalice to only send him here? He had so many questions and not enough answers. The one thing he remembers was that even the Rulers seemed surprised at how unstable the Cup of Reincarnation became. Due to his perception, their shocked reactions seemed genuine. Even fear was present within them.
"If that's true, then the possibility of betrayal seems rather low, for now." He thought, as he then thought of the next worst thing.
The Monarchs themselves.
Much like the Rulers, the Monarchs are able to retain their memories of previous timelines, which is how both sides aren't able to maintain an upper hand over the other. If this is still true, then Jin-Woo wouldn't be surprised if a Monarch pops out of nowhere and kills him, now that he's powerless. However, everything about this was unusual, to say the least. Maybe he could get lucky, and the Monarchs won't remember anything involving him.
"Unless something happens, it's best to assume that's the case. It won't help if I start becoming paranoid over nothing." Jin-Woo thought as he now thinks of the next thing on his mind.
Himself.
Obviously, the first thing he had to accept was that he was no longer the Shadow Monarch. His powers were now undone, thanks in part to the Cup of Reincarnation. If he was still in doubt (which he wasn't), he only had to look in the mirror. He did so and realized that he was undone and reduced back to the smaller frame, lanky physique, and moppy hairdo he had since he was a teenager. Honestly, looking at him now, the System was a godsend for what it had done for him. Because of it, he actually looked his age rather than his... previous self. His inferiority complex started to weigh him down again.
To Jin-Woo, seeing this just reminded him of how weak he used to be. Or rather, how weak he now is.
His mind turned to his Awakening back in the previous timeline. Back then, his Awakening happened on this date as well. From there, he would get assessed at the Hunters Association and get ranked as an 'E' the following day. From there began the long, hard slog of blood, sweat, and survival treks through the dungeons as he tries to support his mother and sister. Now he is starting to realize he may just have to do so all over again. Just the mere thought of going through four years as an E-rank Hunter trying to make a living all over again was, to put it mildly, frustrating.
He is then reminded of his discussion with Ashborn back during the war. How Jin-Woo was the perfect candidate to be his successor. His drive to push forward and survive regardless of weakness is what drew Ashborn to him. As the saying goes, "Life is a journey, not a destination," or something like that. If it means he'll become the Shadow Monarch once again, then he'll have to drag himself through mud, fire, blood, and God knows what's in between to get there, and it'll really start four years from now when he goes to the Cartenon Temple once again.
Finally, he turns to the issue on the back of his mind, and that was the people who got involved with him. Right away, the idea of saving everyone had gone out the window along with his original plan. In this current environment of Gates and Hunters, trying to save everyone was now unachievable. In the inevitable fight up ahead, there will be casualties. The most he could do was try to save who he could, and even that felt like a secondary objective. His primary goal should be on trying to regain his Shadow Monarch powers. Otherwise, he will be in no position to save anyone. Several people come to his mind as who can be saved, but again, he first needs the power of the Shadow Monarch to do so.
From that line of thinking, Jin-Woo realizes he did have one fundamental advantage this time. He still recalls everything from the previous timeline. Not just his memories but also his experiences, instincts, victories, defeats, triumphs, shortcomings, etc. If everything does go according to what transpired in the previous timeline, then he could safely navigate through everything from the Double Dungeon to the Monarch War. He could even be able to rectify past mistakes and avoid making impulsive decisions.
In terms of using the System's gaming logic, this new timeline would feel like a New Game+ to him (at least that's how Jinah calls it when starting a new file).
Nevertheless, all this will require some thorough planning, and Jin-woo wasn't too optimistic about coming up with one. After all, his original plan of fighting the Monarchs by himself went out the door. "Guess for now, I'll have to play this by ear. I'll have to use my memories to make different choices this time." Jin-Woo told himself as he prepared to leave his mother's hospital room. Visiting hours were almost up.
"First things first, I need to cure Mom, and for that, I need to get to the Cartenon Temple to get access to the System. Four years is a long time until that day, but I've done it before. I know I can do it again." Jin-Woo vowed as he said his farewells to his mother.
While walking back home, he spotted a Gate barricaded on the other side of the road. He may lack his perception skill to pick up on the Mana waves, but he has seen enough gates to know that this particular Gate was D-rank. Which means the Association has yet to establish a group to clear it. Still, it reminds him of days to come. As an E-rank back then, he used to have a sense of dread every time he entered a dungeon. Back then, the most he had to worry about was a pack of goblins looking to skewer him, which is what happened most of the time. The visits to the hospital for recovery became routine for the next four years.
But ever since gaining the System, the fear he felt every time he entered a Dungeon was replaced with a sense of excitement, glee, even euphoria. The adrenaline rush that combat provides made him feel a hundred times more alive. Even from the previous timeline, Jin-Woo had long since accepted that the life of a Hunter was his life's calling. Granted, fate had to step in to make it a spectacle with him being the Shadow Monarch. Nevertheless, not much has changed now in this new timeline. If things went as they did back then, Jin-Woo knew what to expect.
"The whole world is my oyster now, and neither man nor beast will see me coming." Jin-Woo grinned almost evilly at the prospects of a difficult but also promising future as he headed home for the evening.
Chapter 1 done, guys. I won't say much since I'll hold any further necessary details for future chapters. The only thing I'll say is that I've realized something while I was writing this. I could be mistaken about this, but I realized that there is no established timetable in Solo Leveling. Neither of the mediums gives a specific year when Solo Leveling takes place, so for this story, I've taken the liberty of setting up a basic timetable to keep track of certain events.
I've decided to have the Gates begin appearing in the year 2020 (let's just pretend that the COVID-19 pandemic didn't happen in this story.) By the time of the main events of Solo Leveling, ten years will have passed, so the year would be 2030. Again, I could be wrong about this, so I apologize in advance if I am.
Another thing I want to point out is the obvious element in this story. While it's confirmed that the Rulers and Monarchs can recall events that took place in previous timelines, for this story, and due to the unusual anomaly that took place, neither of them won't be able to recall the events that took place in the previous timeline because if they did...well, Jin-woo would be D-O-N-E fucked before he could even do anything, and we would roll the credits. The only person who will be able to recall anything from the previous timeline is Jin-woo himself.
That is all for now. Until next time.