The Martial God who Regressed Back to Level 2

[Translator - Asura]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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Side Story 39

'...Smiling?'

A message window with a smiling emoticon asking if he really wanted to accept the White Light.

Seong Jihan felt like cold water had been poured over his head seeing this.

'There's clearly intent behind this message window.'

A system message window that should only convey information.

For such a mocking smile emoticon to appear there,

It was something unimaginable under normal circumstances.

But considering the power of White Light,

Only one being came to mind who could do such a thing.

"You... are you Mitra?"

However, despite Seong Jihan's question,

[Do you really want to accept White Light for your selfish desires? :)]

Instead of answering, the message window displayed the previous message again.

With the word 'selfish desires' added.

'Selfish desires...'

The reason for trying to regain the White Light he had sealed away with such difficulty.

It was to determine if the Yoon Seah beside him was really the one from the first round.

So,

That message mentioning selfish desires was certainly correct.

'If I get White Light and use it as I please, the brakes might disappear.'

The 100 years in Ark.

The resolution from that time when he scattered all human emotions to avoid wielding the power of creation could crumble with this choice.

'Perhaps, the dulled stimuli becoming active again since entering this world... was a build-up for this.'

During the period when sensory stimuli were extremely weak, the determination not to use White Light was stronger than anything else.

But now, like this.

In front of the choice where he could know if Yoon Seah was real or not just by reaching out,

The return of emotional stimuli had a fatal effect.

Because he was about to prioritize selfish desires over the greater cause for which he sealed White Light.

'...If I start using White Light in earnest to confirm Seah, reality might shake.'

Seong Jihan recalled his memories of sealing the power of light in Ark and his resolve at that time,

And paused his hand for a moment.

Then,

[Have you not made up your mind? Then, experience it.]

Fwoosh...!

The ball of light scattered and,

[Stat White Light increases by 0.001.]

Stat White Light increased by an extremely small amount.

0.001.

For other abilities, it would be a meaningless number.

But,

In the case of White Light, it was different.

Fwoosh...!

As 'Analysis' activated automatically, the world began to appear as code all at once.

He had re-entered the realm of omniscience.

'If it's like this...'

Swish.

Seong Jihan unconsciously turned his gaze towards Yoon Seah.

Then,

A complex array of code entered his eyes.

'She's different from the Seah in reality.'

Yoon Seah, who couldn't be analyzed due to having the 'Fusion Core' that merged Void and Blue.

But the Yoon Seah here was different.

She only had Eternity, so her code could be interpreted freely.

But in this case,

Wouldn't it be impossible to know if Yoon Seah is the one from the first round even through analysis?

Because he couldn't know what code the Yoon Seah from his previous life had.

However,

'Strange... why does it feel like I've seen this before?'

Seong Jihan was seized by a strong sense of déjà vu while looking at her code. @@novelbin@@

It was definitely a code array not in his memory,

Yet it felt so familiar.

Just as something was about to come to mind, just as he was about to grasp a clue,

[White Light will disappear soon.]

The 0.001 stat given for experience was about to disappear.

With little time left, Seong Jihan tried to memorize Yoon Seah's code, but

'Wait, I've already memorized this?'

Except for a few changes where Eternity was added,

He was shocked to realize that her code was already in his memory.

The complex code array arranged from head to toe was already perfectly ingrained in Seong Jihan's mind.

Until now, he couldn't recall it because he couldn't see the code.

But upon entering the realm of omniscience and confirming Yoon Seah's code, he realized this information was stored in his mind.

"Hah..."

He let out a hollow laugh and turned his gaze away from Yoon Seah.

The White Light that would soon disappear.

There wasn't much he could do with the 0.001 ability.

He looked at everything in his sight and,

'This is all I can do for now.'

Found what he needed to do among them.

Swish.

As Seong Jihan reached out in front of Shizuru and grasped the air tightly,

Part of the code on her body was deleted and,

[Supporting Gift 'Edit' is destroyed.]

Shizuru's gift 'Edit' was completely annihilated.

* * *

"Wh-What...?"

As Shizuru saw the message that appeared before her eyes, she widened her eyes.

"I'll let you live."

Seong Jihan spoke calmly.

"No... how did you... the gift...?"

"The light power you gave me does exactly that."

"T-That's impossible! That light was supposed to be a control device that could subdue the Martial God... you!"

So that was how she perceived White Light?

No wonder she gave the White Light so readily even when Yoon Seah threatened her.

She had something to rely on.

Seong Jihan twisted the corner of his mouth and retorted.

"Oh? But who told you that?"

"The sys-tem... It said so in the system message!"

The gift Edit that had brought Ito Shizuru this far.

When it was destroyed by a single gesture from Seong Jihan,

Her attitude changed 180 degrees from begging for her life, and she began to scream at Seong Jihan.

Well,

'It's understandable to react like that when such a cheat-like ability disappears before your eyes.'

Among supporting gifts,

No, even including all regular gifts, Edit had a unique ability.

With this ability alone, an ordinary woman became the world's most beautiful and enjoyed wealth and glory.

For it to disappear in an instant, it was enough to make her eyes roll back.

"Still, I didn't take everything from you. You must have accumulated a lot of wealth, and besides,"

Swish.

Seong Jihan pointed at the Sword King on the floor.

"You have your man, so dependably there."

It was questionable how dependable the Sword King was, barely able to squirm under Seong Jihan's power.

Anyway, Shizuru still had a lot.

If she used the wealth she'd accumulated and the Sword King who was obsessed with her well,

She could still enjoy wealth and glory.

Of course,

"Mmph. Mmph...!"

How to control the Sword King, who was so excited with bloodshot eyes,

That would be the problem.

"No! Why? The system... The system can't be wrong...!"

Meanwhile,

Unable to accept that her gift had disappeared,

Shizuru tore at her hair, insisting that the system message couldn't be wrong.

For her, White Light must have been a trump card for a reversal.

Seong Jihan asked the suffering woman.

[Translator - Asura]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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"Did the system clearly say that the light would subdue the Martial God?"

"Y-Yes...! It said you would submit to the light and be controlled!"

"But that. The subject wasn't you, was it?"

"...What?"

"Even if I submit, I'd be submitting to the light. Even if I'm controlled, I'd be controlled by the light."

Shizuru's eyes wavered.

Certainly, in the system message, the subject was 'light'.

Not herself.

"You were merely a medium to summon the light."

"A medium... you say?"

"Yes. Edit is just a lower version of White Light."

Seong Jihan roughly understood how Shizuru had gathered White Light when he entered the realm of omniscience by obtaining White Light.

Shizuru's gift 'Edit' was,

Although it couldn't reach the omnipotent realm of creation,

It was a lower-grade ability a few steps below.

So, with the system's permission, she could gather a tiny amount of White Light.

'So even if I had agreed to get White Light earlier, I would have received the same 0.001.'

It was going to give just a tiny amount anyway.

Asking him 'Are you really going to get White Light?' was mostly meant as mockery.

After insisting so much in Ark that he wouldn't touch the realm of creation,

It must have sneered at seeing that resolve crumble in front of the Yoon Seah from the first round.

'And is Mitra's will imbued in the system here?'

Then, receiving quests until now, regaining senses and gathering Stat Blue, was it all Mitra's doing?

But,

'For his method... it seems too mild in a way.'

There were points that didn't add up to conclude it was Mitra.

He had completely perished in the first place.

'Did I perhaps create this in the era when I had White Light?'

All sorts of thoughts came to mind.

Seong Jihan pondered for a moment, then,

Thud...

He turned his gaze to Shizuru, who had fallen to her knees with a dazed expression.

She seemed to have lost her will to live after Edit disappeared with a single gesture.

Seong Jihan spoke to Yoon Seah.

"What should we do with her?"

"What do you mean?"

"Edit may be gone, but she still has the Sword King. She must have accumulated a lot of wealth too. Her life is still on easy street."

"Hmm..."

Right now she was suffering as if her world has collapsed because Edit disappeared.

But Shizuru still had a lot.

Seong Jihan only removed Edit.

Her beauty that could topple a nation, the wealth she had built up,

And the Sword King to protect all this were still by her side.

"She's the woman who drove your life to rock bottom. It might be unsatisfying to end it like this."

"But uncle, you promised, didn't you? To let her live."

"Even without some body parts, you're alive as long as you're breathing."

Flinch.

Shizuru, who had been listening to Seong Jihan and Yoon Seah's conversation,

Snapped out of the shock of losing Edit and came to her senses.

Somehow, listening to their conversation, it didn't seem like they would end it with just removing her gift.

"Um... You said you'd let me live, didn't you?"

Shizuru composed herself and changed her attitude back to polite speech mode, but,

"One more word and I'll cut off your legs."

When Yoon Seah looked at her with cold eyes, she immediately shut her mouth and just nodded.

She painfully realized that Yoon Seah held the power of life and death over her.

Meanwhile, Yoon Seah looked at Shizuru and the Sword King in turn,

Then answered Seong Jihan.

"Let's just leave them be."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. They're not people I want to pay attention to. Tell them to live happily ever after. More than that..."

Swish.

She brought her face close to Seong Jihan and stared into his eyes.

"I'm more curious about why you sighed while looking at me earlier."

"Sigh?"

"You stared at me intently, then sighed and gave a hollow laugh, didn't you? Uncle."

At those words, Seong Jihan recalled what had just happened.

Was she talking about when he realized that Yoon Seah's code he saw through 'Analysis' was actually already in his memory, and let out a hollow laugh?

"I was wondering if there was some problem..."

"No. It was nothing. No need to worry."

"Really? Then, can I keep calling you uncle?"

"Sure."

Yoon Seah's expression brightened at Seong Jihan's affirmation.

"That's a relief."

"What is?"

"I was worried you might tell me to call you Martial God from now on."

She worried about the strangest things.

Seong Jihan smiled slightly and said,

"Then, let's go back."

Fwoosh...!

He opened a portal heading to the BattleNet center.

Since they decided to leave Shizuru be, there was nothing more to do here.

At that moment,

"Ah. Wait a moment~ I'll just say one thing to the Sword King."

Yoon Seah approached the Sword King who was still writhing on the floor.

As she approached, his movements became even more violent, but

Swish.

As Seong Jihan applied more pressure,

Thud...!

His body sank deeper into the floor.

Now even writhing became impossible.

"Mr. Sword King~"

Yoon Seah squatted next to the Sword King and said,

"About Shizuru. Make sure she doesn't run away."

She pointed at the dazed Shizuru.

"Even without her gift, she can move around just fine with 'two legs', right? What if she comes to Korea?"

"...!"

"If she begs uncle to restore her gift, it might look a bit unsightly..."

Grin.

Yoon Seah smiled and continued.

"Make sure that doesn't happen. Hmm... if her arms and legs are inconvenienced, she won't be able to run away recklessly, right?"

"..."

"You understand what I mean, roughly?"

At those words, the Sword King's eyes gleamed.

Yoon Seah stood up and looked at Seong Jihan.

"Let's go, Uncle."

"Alright."

Fwoosh...!

As Seong Jihan and Yoon Seah entered the portal and disappeared,

Only two people remained in the Hokkaido hideout.

And soon,

Ssscrape...

The Sword King, with bloodshot eyes,

Slowly rose.

"Arms, legs..."

"Ryu-Ryuhei...?"

His gaze was fixedly locked on Shizuru.

"Right... they're not really necessary."

"W-What are you saying? Come to your senses...!"

"Instead,"

Swish.

The Sword King drew his sword from his inventory.

"I'll serve as your arms and legs..."

[Translator - Asura]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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