The Shadow of the Thousandth Return

Miko Reyes was an ordinary college student whose only escape from reality was reading web novels late at night. His favorite story was The Thousandth Returner, a tragic tale about a hero named Kael who endlessly regressed every time he failed to save the world. Kael had already died and returned more than a thousand times, slowly losing his emotions and humanity with every loop.One rainy evening, while reading the latest chapter on his phone, Miko was hit by a speeding truck.When he opened his eyes, he found himself inside the very novel he loved.At first, Miko was excited. He finally witnessed the world of magic, monsters, kingdoms, and legendary heroes with his own eyes. He secretly followed Kael from afar, watching the famous protagonist survive impossible battles exactly like in the novel.But everything changed the moment Kael died.The world shattered.Time reversed.And Miko returned with him.Miko soon realizes a terrifying truth: he is mysteriously bound to Kael's regression ability. Whenever Kael dies, Miko also returns to the beginning of the timeline with all his memories intact.At first, it felt entertaining. Watching the protagonist grow stronger every loop was like seeing alternate versions of the story unfold.But after a hundred regressions, Miko began to break.Kael became colder.The world became crueler.And each loop revealed hidden truths the original novel never mentioned.Eventually, Miko decides to interfere from the shadows. Instead of standing by, he secretly creates an underground organization called Eclipse, gathering talented people, forbidden knowledge, spies, assassins, and hidden heroes across the continent.Their mission:Help Kael become strong enough to finally end the cycle.But the deeper Miko digs into the mystery of regression, the more horrifying the truth becomes.Kael is not the true reason the world keeps resetting.Miko is.And somewhere beyond the thousand regressions, something ancient has already noticed him.Something waiting for the moment he remembers who he truly is.