This World is too Cruel to Men

Just how hard did I hit my head?

The spot where I’d collided felt hot and throbbing, and my head was spinning… I didn’t even need a mirror to know.

‘Ah, this is definitely going to leave a bump…’

“Dokgun! Lee Dokgun!”

At the same time, a tingling sensation started in my nose, and something trickled down…

“Mom can hear y—”

“Heugh…”

Mom.

Your son is actually not seven, but 7 + 27, making him 34 years old.

That was my last thought.

I couldn’t withstand the dizzying collaboration of my past life’s memories flooding my mind and the overwhelming dizziness, and I collapsed with a double nosebleed.

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Hmm.

Is this what they mean when they say you wake up to an unfamiliar ceiling after briefly losing consciousness?

The sight of the pure white ceiling, densely covered with what looked like seagulls, was quite impressive.

At the same time, the distinct sterile smell of a hospital filled my nostrils. I didn’t need to look around to realize I was in a hospital.

So, where’s Mom?

“Doctor… is our Dokgun…?”

“Oh, there’s no need to worry too much. He hit his head quite hard when he bumped into something, so he has a mild concussion. The ‘treatment’ has been properly administered, so he should be waking up in a few minutes.”

“Is that so? Whew…”

Well, that’s what she said.

I carefully stroked my forehead, which felt strangely unfamiliar, as I eavesdropped on the conversation coming from beyond the white curtains surrounding my bed.

Did they complete all the necessary procedures while I was unconscious?

The rough texture of gauze met my fingertips.

Well… it’s only natural, but the center of the gauze was bulging outwards.

“Ugh…”

The aftereffects of touching that spot out of curiosity were quite significant.

Just the slightest pressure sent a wave of immense pain through my head.

Perhaps they reacted to the sound I’d made.

The curtains surrounding the bed were pulled back, revealing a beautiful woman with gentle-looking brown hair tied back in a ponytail. Her face looked slightly tired.

“Dokgun…! Are you okay? Are you dizzy?”

As she asked that as soon as she saw me, I knew this woman was my mother in this life.

If it were yesterday’s me, I would have definitely started whining like a child… but having aged 27 years in a single day, I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

“I-I’m okay…”

As I said that, Mom, who had been approaching me with worry etched on her face, stopped dead in her tracks.

“You’re okay?”

“I-I’m fine!”

“…Really? You have a bump on your head and a nosebleed?”

No, I’m really okay… Does she expect me to cry and act spoiled after bumping my head?

Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t do that at my age of 7 + 27. So, I just awkwardly nodded, my hand on my forehead.

Just then, a gurgling sound, like something being sucked into water, erupted from my stomach. It turned out to be a pretty good excuse.

That is… thanks to that sound, I was able to buy some time to organize my confused thoughts.

As soon as the sound escaped my stomach, Mom hurried out of the room as if something serious had happened.

So… let’s think about this.

How did I die in my past life?

No, wait, am I even dead?

To figure this out, I pressed my temples with both hands as if sending telepathic messages, retracing the memories that had just been injected into my mind.

After carefully reviewing my memories, I recalled climbing a snow-covered hill, completely drunk, slipping, and hitting my head hard on something.

Well, that something was most likely a utility pole… so surviving would be difficult.

‘That hill was incredibly steep.’

They called it “Huff and Puff Hill” for a reason.

If I’d known this would happen, I would have quietly followed my friend’s suggestion to hang out in his room for a bit.

That thought crossed my mind, but… I didn’t feel incredibly regretful or anything.

What would change even if I did regret it?

It’s not like some god would suddenly pop out and say, “Since you seem to regret it, I’ll send you back to your original body in your original world…”

So, what choice do I have?

Since I’ve been reborn, I have to adapt to this new life.

‘Wait a second…’

Is that why it came back to me?

Because the impact when I collided with that damn kid triggered a déjà vu of the pain I felt in my last moments?

Then what kind of head does that kid have?

A head that delivers an impact comparable to a utility pole?

I muttered to myself that he’d surely grow up to be someone great, then quickly snapped myself back to reality.

Now wasn’t the time to be lost in such thoughts.

‘The mind of an adult in the body of a seven-year-old…’

It wasn’t a completely unfamiliar concept. It was a trope I’d occasionally encountered in novels, so honestly, it didn’t feel that strange.

It even made me a little excited.

‘Honestly, I can’t resist this.’

In a way, it’s like starting a game with cheat codes.

‘So, now all I have to do is…’

Enjoy my position as a reincarnator?

As soon as that thought popped into my head, the reality of this world, which I’d been ignoring while immersed in memories of my past life, brought me back down to earth.

—Breaking news. A talent-based terror attack has occurred in the middle of Gwanghwamun Square. The culprit, dissatisfied with their own talent…

The calm voice of the news anchor lady coming from beyond the curtains proved that what was in my tiny head wasn’t just the delusion of a seven-year-old, but the reality and common sense of this world.

Need I say more?

“Huh…”

This world wasn’t ordinary.

Compared to my past life, this world was truly another world.

And if I had to describe this world in a single word—

‘Talent.’

Yes, that would be it.

A world where people are born with superpowers called talents, and that’s all that matters.

That’s the identity of the world where I’m living my second life.

However, there’s just one problem—

‘Why the hell don’t men develop talents?’

That’s about it.

Considering the position of men in this world… it’s usually one of two things.

Either they are replaceable cogs in the machine… or they diligently hone themselves to be ‘chosen’ by the Talent Awakened, who are practically first-class citizens.

To put it more bluntly… if the Talent Awakened are first-class citizens, then men are like third-class citizens.

Ordinary women who haven’t awakened their talents yet, but have the potential to do so someday, would be second-class citizens.

With reality like this, what can I do?

No way.

If I was some kind of genius in my past life, it might be a different story, but I was just an ordinary Korean man.

On the other hand, those who have awakened their talents are the real deal.

So, no matter how hard I try, I won’t be able to compete with them.

It’s more likely that I’ll get a taste of the bitter reality of power for daring to challenge the status quo as a man.

So, let’s give up on the idea of living a comfortable life using my reincarnator status.

Let’s give up on that, but—

‘Oh, really? There are villains and monsters too?’

Villains… well, I can understand that.

It’s human nature to want to wield power recklessly once you have it.

There’s a reason why the theory of inherent evil exists.

The problem is that humans aren’t the only enemies of humanity.

Since the first invasion about 50 years ago, monsters called “Another” have been popping up and wreaking havoc.

Surprisingly, this is everyday life in this world.

And it’s the role of the Awakened, those with combat-related talents considered top-tier among the many talents, to defeat these monsters.

‘This is why the world is in this state…’

If modern weapons were effective against these things…

The world wouldn’t have become so extreme.

But they’re not.

So, let’s recap.

‘First…’

This world goes beyond gender discrimination; it’s practically a matriarchal society.

Based on what’s in this small head of mine, it doesn’t seem to be blatantly obvious yet… but how long will that last?

Unless men suddenly start developing talents, the current situation will only worsen, not improve.

Furthermore, sometimes villains, sometimes these creatures, suddenly pop up, threatening people’s lives at any moment.

This is another reality of this world.

‘Wow…’

Just listing these facts makes me dizzy.

I know it’s not something a seven-year-old should be saying, but… how am I supposed to live in this world, so harsh towards men?

‘Is this what they call gender reversal…?’

If they were going to reverse things, they should have reversed men’s and women’s sexual desires too.

Then I wouldn’t have such a headache.

As I was holding my small head in my hands, racking my brains, I heard footsteps approaching the room.

Mom must have returned after buying something to eat.

‘Huh? There’s more than one?’

As soon as I realized that, the curtains around my bed were pulled back with a rustling sound. And then, what appeared before me was—

Mom with a somewhat awkward expression, a man and a woman I’d never seen before, and—

“Your friend wants to apologize to you.”

Contrary to Mom’s explanation, a little girl was hiding behind the man’s legs, her face and eyes showing no remorse whatsoever.

It feels a bit strange to say this about a seven-year-old girl, but… with her puffed-out cheeks, she looked just like a pufferfish.

Not just any pufferfish, but a pufferfish full of poison.