Sweet Gains Through Skill Copying - Prologue
Prologue
A rundown warehouse building in Richmond, Virginia, USA.
A man in his late 40s of Asian descent stared excitedly at a small stone in his hand.
“Heh heh heh... Finally got my hands on it! The Regression Stone.”
Regression Stone? Could this little stone truly send someone back in time?
The man, who had been laughing boisterously, composed himself and muttered:
“Whenever I go back, I hope it’s to when my family was still alive.”
After gazing at the Regression Stone for a moment, he booted up the computer on the table.
“Tsk, no time for this. I don’t know when I’ll regress, but I need to cram every crucial detail into my skull.”
Information vital for returning to the past. The man feverishly absorbed data into his mind.
“Let’s see...”
He began rapidly searching for major historical events and trends.
Just as he was imprinting the final details—
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Alarms blared without warning.
“Huh? What now?”
He jerked toward the CCTV monitor—dozens of Hunters were storming the warehouse.
“Damn it! How’d they track me here?!”
This was his secret hideout, known only to a handful of top-tier villains.
Their arrival could mean only one thing.
“Tch. A rat in the ranks.”
He’d suspected betrayal after several close allies were assassinated last month.
Now even this location—believed untraceable—had been compromised.
The traitor had to be someone he’d trusted.
CRASH!
The warehouse door exploded inward before he could ponder further.
“Heh heh heh. Choi Junhyuk. No eel-like escape today?”
Junhyuk turned from the monitors with a wry smile.
“Brought the whole circus for little ol’ me? Jonathan—didn’t take you for a preparer after all those beatings.”
Jonathan Curtis, a hulking white Hunter, snorted at the jab.
“Still posturing? Pathetic villain trash. Today ends with your head on a spike.”
Junhyuk shrugged.
“Fair. No exits this time. But satisfy my curiosity—who sold me out?”
“Why bother? You’ll be dead anyway.”
“Exactly. Humor a dead man. Or...” Junhyuk’s grin turned razor-sharp. “...are you scared I’ll survive and skin your informant?”
Jonathan’s eye twitched before relenting:
“Villain Rank #16—Cha Jinsoo. Sold you out for a million and immunity.”
Junhyuk barked a laugh.
“That silver-tongued weasel! Backstabbed by my own axe!”
“Enough chatter.” Jonathan drew his blade. “Time to die.”
Junhyuk produced a faintly glowing stone.
“Ah, but first—recognize this?”
“Enough stalling! You’ve nowhere to run!”
“Stalling? I got my answer.” Junhyuk’s calm unnerved the Hunters. “This is the Regression Stone.”
Jonathan’s pupils dilated.
The mythical artifact—rumored to rewrite time itself—gleamed in Junhyuk’s palm.
“KILL HIM! NOW!”
Hunters lunged in unison—
WHOOSH!
Blinding light consumed the warehouse as space-time fractured.
Let it be before the Cataclysm... No—at least when my brothers still breathed...
Sweet Gains Through Skill Copying - Chapter 1
E-book Publication Date | 2023.04.14
Author | Kim Hyun-jun
Publisher | Kim Young-hoon
Published by | Poten
Address | [04156] 311 Dongmak-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Jaehwa Square 12F
Phone | 1800-7792
Fax | 02-6320-8585
ISBN | 979-11-369-3694-3
Price | Not for Sale
ⓒ Kim Hyun-jun 2023
This e-book is protected under copyright law.
Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or sharing without written consent from both parties is prohibited.
