The Martial God who Regressed Back to Level 2

[Translator - Asura]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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Side Story 40

VIP Room of the BattleNet Center.

Having completed the expedition in Hokkaido, Seong Jihan sat in a chair with a solemn face.

While looking for differences from the pre-regression world, he found Shizuru suspicious and dug into that direction, which was good.

However.

After encountering the White Light, his thoughts became even more complicated.

‘Now that the White Light has clearly appeared... this world must have been created by Mitra, or perhaps by me.’

Seong Jihan recalled the moment he obtained the White Light a little while ago.

Although it was only 0.001.

Even with just that, he could destroy Shizuru's gift.

And he could even analyze Yoon Seah's code here.

‘Seah's code... it was definitely in my memory.’

Yoon Seah's code that he tried to memorize as much as possible before the White Light disappeared.

But even before he tried to memorize it, almost identical information was already stored in his mind.

If there was any difference between the two.

It was just the changes corresponding to Yoon Seah obtaining 'Eternity' here and being resurrected, and the transformation as her level grew.

Of course, even if the code in his memory and the code of Yoon Seah here were almost the same.

It wasn't enough to be certain that she was the Yoon Seah from "before regression."

‘...No. I'm certain. Seah is the Yoon Seah from before the regression.’

Seong Jihan could instinctively tell that she was the same person as the Yoon Seah from the first round.

But where on earth did he obtain this code information?

‘......’

Seong Jihan closed his eyes and fell into thought.

The events in Ark.

He remembered most of them vividly, but as revealed through his conversation with Jiang Shang.

There were many things related to 'Infinite' that he couldn't recall.

And now.

Even the code about the pre-regression Yoon Seah was added to the forgotten information.

‘These two, on the surface, have no connection…’

Infinite.

And Yoon Seah before regression.

On the surface, there was no connection at all.

However.

-You must cut her down.

-Only then... will Infinite be completed.

Recalling what Dongbang Sak said inside the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Diagram.

-Is there a possibility that the child is real?

Recalling Jiang Shang's remark in reality.

Seong Jihan began to search for the link between Infinite and Yoon Seah.

‘Infinite is a realm that can only be reached if I truly pursue 'Nothingness.' In Jiang Shang's case, as everything he cherished disappeared... he could achieve Infinite.’

Jiang Shang, whose world was destroyed by Urd.

When his Murim Empire and even his planet vanished.

Plunged into despair, he could complete Infinite with the single-minded intent to return everything to nothingness.

But when Seong Jihan was in Ark, his goal was to protect his own world.

So he quickly gave up on Infinite and resolved the matters in Ark through other means.

Therefore.

At first, he couldn't possibly understand why Dongbang Sak was telling him to complete Infinite here.

‘But I vaguely realized it after seeing Jiang Shang.’

Jiang Shang, who struggled to control Infinite in the distant universe.

He said he would even sacrifice his life if necessary to control Infinite.

But could he really seal it completely that way?

Seong Jihan had doubts.

And if he failed, the problem Seong Jihan would face would be the Infinite that had devoured even Jiang Shang.

‘As someone who sealed away the White Light, I wouldn't have been able to stop it.’

Seong Jihan began to piece together the puzzle one by one.

Infinite that had escaped from Ark was a ticking time bomb that could shake even the universe.

Leaving it solely to Jiang Shang couldn't be considered proper preparation.

Therefore, Seong Jihan also had to thoroughly understand Infinite.

‘However, to master Infinite, certain conditions are necessary.’

A will to truly return everything to 'nothingness.'

Dongbang Sak expressed this as needing to become 'emotionless.'

And becoming emotionless wasn't something that could be achieved just by saying it.

To truly accomplish this.

One had to experience the loss of precious things like Jiang Shang did.

‘But I can't destroy the real world…’

So was this world created instead?

He created a world shortly after the death of Yoon Seah, who was his most painful loss.

And furthermore, he added the world sealed in the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Diagram.

He had already witnessed his child's death twice.

He had witnessed countless times the destruction of worlds belonging to other Seong Jihans.

Instead of destroying the real world, through such indirect experiences, he could achieve 'emotionlessness.'

And with this, was he supposed to complete Infinite?

‘And Seah is the final piece of the puzzle…’

If he became emotionless through Yoon Seah's death.

Only then could he finally reach Infinite.

Was this the method to complete Infinite without harming the real world?

But there was something that bothered him about this.

‘Rather, I regained my emotions here.’

Before entering this world, he only sat on the sofa without any stimulation.

In a way, that state was similar to being emotionless.

But by acting here, he regained his senses, and his emotions became richer.

Wasn't this the complete opposite direction from being emotionless?

‘Something feels off from the initial intent.’

Seong Jihan recalled the system message from earlier.

[Do you really wish to accept the White Light for selfish desires? :)]

A message that clearly contained mockery.

If he had created this world, he wouldn't mock himself like that.

Even if this world was created to complete Infinite as he initially guessed.

Something must have been distorted in the middle.

And the one who caused that distortion.

‘...Is it Mitra?’

Only Seong Jihan or Mitra could freely control the White Light.

It seemed that his will had intervened in some way to create this world.

Then, what he ultimately wanted was.

‘He wants me to use the power of light.’

[Translator - Asura]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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Seong Jihan, who had given up the authority of creation, the Transcendent, and the White Light, and sealed them in the Martial God's Tower.

What Mitra wanted was for Seong Jihan to draw out this power again and use creation.

Then naturally, whom he would create would be.

‘Yoon Seah.’

In fact, this world and Yoon Seah here were entities that eventually had to disappear.

Because they were spaces that started as 'bugs' in the Tower of the Martial God.

But upon realizing that the Yoon Seah here was the same as the one from the first round.

Seong Jihan couldn't remain as cold as he was at the beginning.

‘...Then, it's a choice between two options.’

The reason for trying to complete Infinite here was to prevent Jiang Shang's Infinite from going berserk.

For the sake of the real world, he ultimately had to cut down the Yoon Seah here.

But if he decided to revive the pre-regression Yoon Seah instead of achieving Infinite.

He had to accept the White Light again.

And this meant.

‘That the safety of the real world would be endangered.’

Why had he rejected the White Light until now?

Why had he tried so hard to seal away the authority of creation?

Because he feared the repercussions that would follow after accepting this power.

But if he resurrected Yoon Seah in the real world because he couldn't overcome his emotions.

There was a great risk he'd be swayed by the White Light.

In the first place, even in this situation.

Wasn't the authority of light trying to control him?

‘The weight between the real world and a single person... isn't the same.’

Which one should he prioritize?

The answer was obvious.

No single person could outweigh the entire real world.

"......"

As Seong Jihan's expression began to harden.

-Why does Seong Jihan look so upset?

-Is it because he didn't kill Shizuru earlier?

-Hey, didn't you see earlier? The Sword King's expression was terrifying.

-Without Edit, he can't even control the Sword King. It's probably not about that woman.

As Seong Jihan's silence continued for a long time.

Messages began to pop up in the chat window, asking if something had happened to him.

But even so, he didn't respond.

How much time had passed as he continued to think deeply.

Ding-dong. Ding-dong.

An urgent bell sound came from the door of the VIP room.

"What is it?"

Swoosh.

As Seong Jihan flicked his hand, the door opened.

There, Manager Park Yoonsik entered with an urgent expression.

"M-Martial God! There's big news!"

"What is it?"

"W-Well, the Sword King... has committed suicide!" @@novelbin@@

"...What?"

Manager Park Yoonsik urgently came in and played a video.

The content contained there was shocking.

"Shizuru! Shizuru!"

"Why, why isn't she breathing! I said I'd become your arms and legs...!"

"Save her! Save her immediately!!!"

In the CCTV footage from a Japanese hospital.

The Sword King was seen holding something that was blurred out.

He was screaming and wailing.

"According to the information we've obtained, that blurred-out object is Ito Shizuru."

"Is that so?"

"Yes... she was found dead with her limbs severed..."

"Ah..."

At Manager Park Yoonsik's visit, Yoon Seah, who had come out of her room, let out a sigh.

"She was really cut apart?"

"Yes... it's presumed that she died due to excessive bleeding and shock."

Then the video continued.

When the Japanese doctors shook their heads, confirming that the blurred-out Shizuru was indeed dead.

"Heh. Heh-heh..."

"No... where are you going, leaving me behind...!!!"

"Why did you have to listen to Yoon Seah..."

"No... that's right! I can follow you. I'll follow you!"

The Sword King, who had been wailing and screaming.

Puk!

Drew his sword and stabbed it straight into his own heart.

The sword, already stained with blood was dyed bright red as it mixed with the Sword King's blood.

"Ah... ugh... huh..."

Whether it was a sob or a laugh, he let out a groaning sound.

Thud...!

His body collapsed over Shizuru's corpse.

‘...So, he cut off her limbs following Seah's words, and when she died, he committed suicide.’

Shizuru, without her editing ability, was no different from an ordinary person.

Didn't he think that cutting off her limbs like that could kill her?

‘No, from the moment he listened to Seah's words, he wasn't normal…’

Beep.

As the video ended like that.

Manager Park Yoonsik spoke with a serious expression.

"Due to this sudden incident, not only Japan but the entire world is in an uproar."

"Is that so."

"Yes. Even if an ordinary person did it, it would be a shocking case, but for the Sword King to commit such a thing..."

Then he glanced slightly toward Yoon Seah.

"Moreover, many are focusing on the Sword King's words 'Because I listened to Yoon Seah...' The Japanese BattleNet Association has also sent inquiries related to this."

"......"

As Yoon Seah seemed shocked and said nothing.

Manager Park Yoonsik sighed deeply and continued.

"Reporters might come to investigate excessively regarding this matter, so please be careful."

"Understood."

Then, as Manager Park Yoonsik left the room.

Even while pretending not to, he glanced at Yoon Seah several times.

Perhaps because the Sword King suddenly blaming Yoon Seah in his last words was so unexpected.

Even the usually cautious Manager Park couldn't hide his curiosity about it.

-Wow... I didn't think this would happen when Seah told him to cut off the limbs earlier.

-But for him to follow her in death is shocking... is the charm that scary?

-Isn't the enchantment supposed to be lifted when the target dies? To the point of dying together like that?

-Yeah, it's chilling...

-Sword King died as he wished...

As the viewers who watched the video together showed shocked reactions.

Bzzzz...

In front of Seong Jihan's eyes.

[You have failed the linked quest 'True Overcoming.']

A quest failure message appeared due to losing the target to overcome.

[Negotiate directly with the Witch of the Void.]

[Translator - Asura]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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