The world officially called them Returners, individuals whose sudden, silent disappearances sixteen years ago shocked the planet. An incomprehensible 82,060,701 people vanished from Earth without a trace; when only 12,000,000 resurfaced nine years later, the horrifying reality that over 70,060,701 were still missing or presumed deceased settled over humanity like a heavy, suffocating shroud.
These survivors returned hardened, armed with impossible skills and recounting terrifying tales of a parallel world, a realm of magic, ancient beasts, powerful knights, and dark races like elves, dragons, dwarves, spirits, vampires, ghosts, and werewolves. They explained that their forced journeys began when an enigmatic System appeared, telling them they were bound for another world where they gained power through magic and swordplay, all of which they somehow retained upon their chaotic return. This new influx of power immediately fractured the global society, as some Returners chose to utilize their abilities for selfless good, while a dangerous majority sought to benefit themselves through crime and coercion, forcing world governments to quickly convene and establish the stringent Returner Laws to bring some semblance of consequence back to the planet.
Lee Jun-Ho was utterly unprepared for any of this, finding himself a miserable, anonymous cog in a world far too grand and dangerous for him. He was a twenty-seven-year-old Korean man, perpetually overworked and drastically underpaid, grinding through his 9-to-5 shift at a Seoul supermarket, his life made significantly harder by the entitled arrogance of the Returners. Tonight, he was sprawled exhausted across his worn couch, passively doom-scrolling through the news reports of the latest Returner infractions, when a soft sound startled him.
[Ding!]
He looked up, and his heart immediately locked in his throat; a blue, translucent screen, humming with faint, ethereal energy, had materialized a foot from his face. It was identical to the screens in the Returner documentaries.
[Congratulations, User: Lee Jun-Ho]
[You have been chosen to become a Traveller.]
In an instant, the terror of the past faded beneath a wave of breathless anticipation. 'This is my chance,' he thought, 'The chance to escape the supermarket and finally gain power.'
[Ding!]
The screen shifted, displaying his unexpected divine intervention.
[To aid your journey, you have gained the unique ability: Clones.]
[Clones (Unique)]
Description: Allows the creation of perfect, self-aware copies of the Original.
Loyalty: 100% loyal. Cannot willingly harm the Original.
Transfer: All experience, skills, memories, and physical gains obtained by the Clones are instantly transferred to the Original.
Limit: 5 Clones. (Limit will increase upon evolution.)
Jun-Ho stared at the description, an overwhelming rush of excitement flooding his system. 'I could have a fucking army over there,' he realized, overjoyed at the thought of five disposable versions of himself fighting and gaining power for him. The initial limit of five made him pause, slightly saddened, but five extra lives to help him survive was still significantly better than zero.
[Ding!]
His elation was violently cut short by a new, ominous message.
[Traveller Selection is mandatory.]
[The selected individual must travel and will be forcefully teleported in 60 seconds.]
The sheer terror of the 70 million missing people crashed down on him. 'I'm not going,' he thought, scrambling backwards in a desperate attempt to create distance. 'I refuse to be a statistic. I'm staying right here!'
A brilliant flash of golden light erupted on his floor, coalescing into a massive, intricate Magic Circle etched with pulsating runes.
[Please step onto the circle when ready.]
In a surge of panicked genius, he remembered his new ability. "Clone! Summon!"
A bright white flash solidified into a figure identical to him, standing perfectly beside the circle, naked and waiting.
Jun-Ho stared at his double. 'Wow. Have I always been this handsome?' he thought, momentarily distracted.
[Ding!]
The System ignored his vanity and offered a new prompt.
[Would User: Lee Jun-Ho like to customize the Clone's attributes?]
"I can do that?" Jun-Ho asked the air, utterly astonished.
[Ding!]
[Affirmative. If the Clone merely inherited the Original's innate weakness and lack of combat aptitude, this ability would be functionally useless, and the Clone would perish instantly.]
"Did the System just insult me?" Jun-Ho growled, though he didn't receive a reply.
He focused, selecting a trait that promised resilience. "Trait: Brave," he commanded. "Increase physical strength by 15% when in a verifiable life-or-death situation." He left the rest untouched.
"And you need a name," Jun-Ho decided, thinking for a moment. "I'll call you Lore."
Lore looked back at his original with a perfect deadpan expression, somehow conveying acute disappointment. "Lore? Really?"
"Yeah. What if you break some kinda law over there? Can't have it under my name."
Lore raised a skeptical eyebrow, his voice perfectly mirroring Jun-Ho's own. "We look 100% identical. They'll still connect the crime to you. They'll think I'm your twin, at best."
Jun-Ho coughed awkwardly, freezing for a brief moment. "It… it doesn't matter. Just get on the circle. You're my proxy."
Lore glanced at the menacing golden glow. "What about protection? I need gear, a weapon, something to survive the initial spawn—"
"Protection? Why would you need that?" Jun-Ho insisted, already grinning like a reckless fool. "You'll probably spawn in a Beginner Town. What are the chances the System spawns you in some monster-infested forest? Zero, you'll be fine!"
Lore let out a profound, identical sigh of resignation and stepped onto the Magic Circle.
[Ding!]
[Teleporting Clone: Lore to The New World.]
The golden light flared violently, completely engulfing Lore. In a silent, blinding flash, the clone vanished.
Jun-Ho stood alone in his apartment, completely unharmed, the Magic Circle already dissolving back into the cheap linoleum. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, relief washing over him in a dizzying wave.
[Ding!]
The blue screen hovered silently, displaying the outcome of his loophole.
[Clone: Lore has successfully entered The New World.]
[Traveller Mandate fulfilled.]
[Original User: Lee Jun-Ho remains on Earth.]
A triumphant, greedy smile stretched across Jun-Ho's face. 'I'm safe. I'm fucking brilliant,' he thought. 'Seven out of eight people die over there, but now, the clone will die for me, and I'll keep the power. This is perfect.'
He stared at the coordinates and newly visible stats detailing Lore's remote location and initial progress.
'Now, let's see what hell awaits me,' he thought. 'Or rather, awaits Lore.'