Regressed Extras Become Geniuses - Chapter 1

Prologue

“……Nonsense.” 

While watching the television news, I felt appalled at what was being shown. Something must have gone wrong. Otherwise, this could not have happened.  

“S-class wizard Lee Seo-joon died during his mission. Lee Seo-joon is known to have been severely punished by defeating the evil dragon, Cruas, which appeared in downtown Seoul at around 8 p.m. today…” The anchor was announcing a certain someone’s death with a rather stiff expression. I was biting my lips, unable to take my eyes off the screen.   

“…Cruas aggravated the situation by causing an unprecedented second runaway in Monster history. Lee Seo-joon desperately blocked Cruas for the safety of citizens, but he was unable to stop the creature, who was strengthened by the second runaway.” 

“……Lee Seo-joon, who has just turned 25 years old this year, debuted as a wizard in 2034, and has since been receiving endless public attention by solving numerous cases. The public was shocked when the news of Lee Seo-joon’s death was reported.”   

After a few minutes of delivering the story, the screen changed. The solemn music began to play. After a while, a picture of a handsome young man smiling brightly came out. People appeared to be both angry and sad. It was also announced that incense altars would be installed throughout the country. He was a man I knew well.   

Lee Seo-joon. A 25-year-old genius wizard. A young hero of this era who had managed to solve numerous incidents and disasters. And the main character of the novel <Modern Wizard>, which was then the basis of this world. 

“……You want me to believe this?” The main character died in the world of the novel. Nothing could have been more absurd. I was sure that the original Lee Seo-joon didn’t die in the middle like this. However, what was even more ridiculous was that, so far, this world had gone according to the flow of the original. 

Lee Seo-joon had managed to solve numerous cases at a young age and rose to the S-grade just two years after his debut. It was all the same as the original story.   

“Late Lee Seo-joon’s mortuary.”  

Beyond the screen, a woman was sobbing sadly. She was Lee Hyun-joo, the heroine who has been with Lee Seo-joon since childhood. A man with a sad expression followed. He was Kim Deok-hyun, an S-class wizard who was a colleague of Lee Seo-joon and a senior at work.   “Lee Seo-joon was a righteous man. Unlike other wizards, he was not driven by money, and he always put the citizens’ safety first. Even though I was young and a distant junior at work, I learned a lot from him.”   

Then came the other mourners. Among them were high-ranking people such as the president of the Wizard’s Association, and big names such as the head of the three major guilds in Korea. Star wizards that I saw on the news also gave off impressions that were not at all boring. They were all the ‘major characters’ of The Modern Wizard. 

“Wow, it’s driving me crazy…….” 

Why did this happen? No matter how hard I were to think about it, I couldn’t seem to figure out why. 

A fixed future. I was the only one who could change that future. However, I had never intervened in the main scenario. In addition to this, I had never done anything that could change the future. He had fallen here and had always lived quietly. Of course, I worked as a C-class wizard because I had to make money, but I always made sure to work outside the main story, worrying that my future would change because of me. 

For that reason, he didn’t go anywhere near the ‘major characters.’ There were several B-level promotion opportunities, but I refused all of them just in case. All of this was not to change the set future. If it went according to the original, it would eventually lead to a happy ending for everyone.   But why? Why on earth? 

“Why are you dying…?”

According to the original novel, there were still many incidents and disasters left. Mine, terrorists, towers, catastrophic horses…… There was no end to explain. The problem was that these huge cases that would inevitably happen in the future could not possibly be solved without Lee Seo-joon. “What should I do now?”

This was not a problem that could be done just by knowing the future. This was because I was only a C-class wizard who has had up all the skills of this world. However, there were many monsters of the S and A grades in the main scenario. Words could not explain the difference between grade C and grade S. 

“Ha….” It was time to worry about the future that would happen. It was then that the television screen stopped and caught my attention. 

“……What’s wrong with this?” I picked up the remote control and pressed on the displayed buttons, thinking it had somehow broken. However, there was no response.   

Coooooooooong! 

“What?” A huge sound rang from the sky. From there, I looked out the window in amazement. The bright world turned gray in the blink of an eye. My mouth opened with astonishment. 

“Why, what is this…”

Something crazy was going on. The sky collapsed and the space was cracked like a broken window. Everything on the ground was dusting off. The people in the street stood still as if time itself had stopped. It was as if the world was disappearing. “What is this…….” 

Then, a small window came up in front of me.   

[Lee Seo-joon is dead] 

[All main scenarios are considered failures] 

[You can’t proceed with the scenario. Reset the world.] 

“…What?” 

And from there, I lost my mind.   

* * * 

I was dreaming. It was seven years ago. No, it seemed like it had been this way before I fell into this damn novel. In my dream, I was drinking in a bar and insisting on something to an unknown someone. “I’m still in doubt. Why do the main characters of the novel always try to hog the books? Then what do you think will happen if the original development gets twisted for no reason?” 

“Hey, I know the future, but of course, I’ll have to take it all upon myself.” 

“Then, should you hide?” 

“Of course, I should. What if the main character who has to kill the villain dies? It would be a total disaster.” 

“Oh, what a coward. If I were you, I’d get rid of the villain myself.”

The theme of the conversation was, as always, a story about a genre novel that was not at all productive. How would you behave if you yourself fell into a novel?

Should we monopolize the spirit? Or should I hide? It was not enough for a healthy conversation of men in their 20s, but I enjoyed this conversation quite a bit. “You’re going to get rid of the villain? Do you think it’ll work out as well as you think? I’m sure you’ll have a hard time. Do you think you’ll be diligent like the main character in the novel in the first place?” 

“He doesn’t have a dream.” 

“I feel like I get lazy just by looking at you, but if I fall into the novel, I’ll end up being diligent and monopolized.” 

“LOL. That’s true. To be honest, I don’t think I’ll go out because I’m lazy when that situation happens.” 

From there, what was supposedly my friend laughed playfully and emptied his glass. I also drank a glass with him and began to speak in a serious tone. “The answer is to live quietly no matter what. The main character will solve everything on his own, so why come forward?” 

Someone may say that he was not greedy after hearing this. However, at this time, he believed that this was the safest and surest way. He was just an ordinary person who liked the adventure story of a hero, and the problem was, I didn’t want to be a hero.   

Boooooong. 

While we were drinking like that, the alarm went off on my smartphone. I glanced at the screen. “Oh? I heard I won an event.” 

“What event?” 

“I don’t know.” 

“It says so. I’ll have to check.” I grabbed my smartphone and checked the contents. The sender was the author of my favorite web novel.   

[Title: Congratulations] 

[You won the event to celebrate the completion of “Modern Wizard”] 

[Hello, Kim Seon-woo. I’m 01k, the author of “Modern Wizard.” Kim Seon-woo won an event hosted by a publishing company. The prize is a travel ticket to a special place.] 

[Would you like to take it?] 

[Yes/No] 

The content was short. To sum up, it was about winning the event and getting a travel ticket. I bragged with joy without much doubt.

“Wow! They’re going to send me on a trip.” 

“Really? When did you apply? Kim Seon-woo reads novels all the time, and this time he totally benefited.” 

At this time, I was very tired of my repeated daily life. I always wanted new stimulation, and traveling was a great opportunity to get out of my daily life and experience new things. I didn’t mean to miss this opportunity. “Wow, this isn’t fishing, is it?” 

I didn’t think much of it at the moment. I chose Yes a little impulsively under the influence of alcohol. 

It was a free trip anyway. There was no reason to refuse. “Where are you going to send it? Is it overseas? Then it’s really awesome.” 

I had no idea what this one choice would make in my life, all until the next day. 

The world had changed when I opened my eyes.   

*   *   *   

“……Bae, wake up.” 

While swimming in a dream. I heard someone trying to wake me up. “Senior, wake up.” 

A voice was heard once again. Sunbae? Are you talking about me? “Senior!” 

From there, I opened my eyes. When I looked up, a girl in a school uniform was shaking me. “…Who are you?”

“Me? I’m a freshman this year.” 

Freshman? I know you’re a student when you see me in school uniform……. I’m not asking because I don’t know that. This kid, by the way, looked very much familiar. “We’ve arrived at school. We have to get off now.” 

School? I looked around slowly. It was in a big bus. Nearby, students in school uniforms were getting off the bus. It was a familiar sight, as if I had already seen it somewhere.

“What is this?” 

“You’re half asleep. Today is the entrance ceremony. Oh, is it a school opening ceremony for you?” 

“What?” 

“Are you not getting off?” I’ll get off first.” At the end, the girl got off the bus. I stared blankly at the back and followed down. When I got off the bus, I found myself getting blinded by the warm sunlight. I looked around slowly, frowning. The first thing one could see was a huge tower.

Below it was a huge building reminiscent of a castle. Students in school uniforms were passing through the main gate in front of them. 

What the hell was going on? The sudden situation distracted me. This place spread out in my sight was a place I knew well.   

[The entrance ceremony for 2032] 

Of course, this is the school I graduated from five years ago. However, something felt weird. Why did it say 2032? 2032 is 7 years ago……. 

There was no way that the world’s best school would make such a small mistake. 

“……No way.” I suddenly remembered an assumption. It was a ridiculous story, but it could have explained all of this situation. I lowered my head slowly to see if my imagination was right. And the moment I checked what I wanted to see… 

“Crazy.” A curse came out of my mouth. I was wearing the school uniform that I had worn when I was a student 7 years ago. At the same time, the last memory came to mind before coming here. The death of Lee Seo-joon. And the message of resetting the world. 

“Is this real?” 

I had regressed back in time. This was also the first day I fell into the novel.