Who am I? What am I? Where am I?
These questions have always echoed in my mind whenever I felt I'd reached the end of my life. Yet, at the same time, I never truly felt that it was the end. You might wonder—why would someone say such a thing, knowing that their life is over?
It's simple—because every time I die, I think it's the end… but then, everything starts again. I return to the beginning, a newborn child, then a youth, an adult, an elder… and then back to the earth. This cycle has repeated four times. I've witnessed birth, life, love, affection, glory… and death.
I named this condition: The Curse of Eternity.
You may ask—where did all this begin? It all goes back to my first life. And even though more than five hundred years have passed, I still remember its details as if it happened yesterday. I carved those memories deep into my mind so I'd never forget.
In my first life, I was just an ordinary boy living in a border village, enjoying a peaceful life with my uncle and his wife. But the most important person in my life was...
Alicia. She was the light of my life—my everything.
Since childhood, we shared an innocent love. But everything changed when we turned fifteen. That day, a delegation from the imperial capital arrived and announced that Alicia was one of the descendants of the heroes—the chosen heir destined to become the Heroine of this era. This was due to a special mark that appeared on her hand, symbolizing her status.
I was happy for her. I had always believed she was meant for greatness and would one day save the world. But just as I was preparing to confess my love, I was suddenly beaten severely by a member of the delegation—so badly that I spent a week bedridden.
Because of that, I never even got the chance to say goodbye to Alicia. And when I fully regained consciousness, I did nothing but cry the entire day.
That was when I faced the cruel truth my uncle told me:
"You and Alicia are destined to live in two different worlds. She'll be welcomed by the Empire as a noble heroine admired by thousands of men. But you… you're just an ordinary boy, destined to remain at the bottom of this world, where there's no place for the weak."
But I refused to accept that fate.
My uncle told me I had only one path if I ever wanted to stand by her side again:
"You must become strong—strong enough to reach her world once more."
From that day on, I committed myself to the pursuit of power. I trained harshly under my uncle, who was a former soldier. Though he lacked advanced techniques, he gave me a disciplined regimen that was far better than random effort.
After two years of grueling training, I left my village and made my way to the capital, where I successfully joined the imperial army. Thus began my journey through endless wars against demons.
With each battle, I grew stronger. I rose from a mere soldier to a squad leader, then to a commander of a hundred men, then a thousand—until eventually, I led thousands.
During those years, I acquired a meditation technique that helped me unlock my "aura," though it required tremendous resources. But I didn't care—I only wanted to reach the one I loved.
As time passed, my reputation spread across the continent, and I became the youngest general in the empire. I thought I was close to Alicia again… but—
Something happened that widened the gap between us more than ever.
A war against the Demon King.
It was brutal—like a soul-harvesting storm, devouring thousands without discrimination. In the end, the hero's party succeeded in killing the Demon King—but at what cost?
Thousands of lives sacrificed just to kill one being.
What a joke... After all the passionate speeches and false hope of victory, all that remained was destruction and death.
But those in power were masters at rewriting reality, declaring it a "glorious victory" and branding the fallen as "sacred sacrifices" to be immortalized in history. Monuments were built. Names were engraved. Flowery speeches were delivered about their heroism.
But I saw the truth.
I mourned the loss of many comrades who had walked the path with me. But deep down, amidst that sorrow—I was happy. Yes, happy… because I was finally close to Alicia again.
And that day, I was ready to confess my love to her.
But then—
A piece of news shattered me and destroyed all my dreams.
The Emperor announced Alicia's engagement to the leader of the hero's party—"The Hero of Light," the crown prince.
That day, I felt like my dream had been crushed and my soul drained completely. I couldn't understand—didn't Alicia love me? Hadn't we promised to marry as children? Had she truly forgotten me?
My uncle had always told me there was no future for us. Many comrades advised me to let go of that dream. How could Alicia—a noble heroine—marry a peasant? Even if I became famous… even if I became a general… I wasn't nobility.
As I struggled alone to make sense of it all, the world was struck by an unexpected disaster.
The Abyss Gate opened, unleashing hellish creatures, and a new war began.
In a battle against one of the Abyssal Generals, I suffered a devastating loss. On the verge of death, the jade pendant I always wore suddenly emitted a strange light.
I thought I had died...
But when I opened my eyes again—I had been reincarnated.
At first, I didn't understand. I was just a newborn, left in front of a blacksmith's workshop. You may ask—how did I know that? Because the first sound I heard upon regaining awareness was the hammering of iron.
I felt someone pick me up, then heard a rough voice say:
"Who left this child here? Wouldn't it be better to place him in an orphanage?"
And so the years passed, and I learned many things. But the most important was the jade pendant… It seemed to be the reason I was brought into this world, and the proof was the mark on my chest—bearing the same symbol etched into the pendant: a serpent biting its own tail.
In this world, there was still "aura" and "magic," but most importantly—blacksmiths.
Here, blacksmiths are held in the highest regard and social status, as the weapons they forge are critical in the fight against demonic beasts.
Honestly, I couldn't accept it at first. I only wanted to know what had happened to Alicia. But… what could I do?
Still, I was lucky in this life. I was raised by a dwarf. You may wonder—why do I consider that lucky? Well, as I mentioned before, blacksmiths are elite in this world, and weapon-making is a pillar of strength. So, I learned the craft of blacksmithing from my master—my only family.
Time flew by, and I mastered the art of forging to the point I surpassed my own teacher. I could have left and opened my own workshop, but I refused. I stayed with my master until his final days.
Before his death, he said words that never left my mind:
"You were special from the day I found you, but I feel that the end of your path is not here, but in the place where you truly belong."
After his departure, I decided to begin my journey, wandering through this world, forging many weapons. I developed a technique that allowed me to control the furnace flames, and the scene surrounding me as I struck the metal became legendary. Anyone who saw the flames surround me called me "The Lord of Flames and Blacksmithing."
My weapons were ranked among the rarest, surpassing many legendary ones. I reached the pinnacle of glory, wealth, and status, but… deep in my heart, there was a strange feeling, a sensation I couldn't shake off, especially after my teacher's words before his death.
And so, my life ended. But when I thought it was over… I found myself reincarnated into another world.
In this world, alchemy was the source of power and wealth. I learned, trained, and ascended. I witnessed love and affection, glory and riches, but I never truly gained what I wanted… I wanted to see Alicia, even if it was the last thing I did.
With the passing of my second life, then the third, I learned the magic of runes, mastering it to the point of creating my own magic, and I became known as the "Father of Runes," contributing to the rise of its prominence in this world.
Then came the fourth life…
I was transported to the world of Moorim, where I became a disciple of the Heavenly Devil. In this world, there was no place for the weak, especially in the devil sect. I fought countless battles, and as time passed, I was crowned with the title of "Ashura," one of the strongest Heavenly Devils.
But throughout this long journey, with everything I learned and knew, I began to question… What is the purpose of this curse? When will it stop? Was it truly never meant for me to be with Alicia? Is this really my fate, to endure endlessly? "No matter what happens in my future lives, I will break this curse, no matter the cost."