Martial God Regressed to Level 2

[Translator - Asura]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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Side Story 20

The next day.

“Thank you for immediately accepting my terms!”

Accompanied by a Korean interpreter, Christopher arrived at the BattleNet Center.

“So, can we proceed with the interview right away?”

“Sure.”

As soon as Seong Jihan replied,

“You said you are the Martial God, but are you truly a god?”

“Yes. I entered the avatar as a constellation.”

Christopher began firing off questions fearlessly.

“You mentioned you’re not Dongbang Sak. May I ask your real name?”

“Name? For now, it’s Seong Jihan.”

“Ah...I see. So you must use the avatar’s name!”

Despite being told his real name, Christopher didn't believe it was the Martial God's actual name.

The sensation caused by Seong Jihan's activities as the Martial God was so enormous.

And about the owner of the body he was using, there was also a great deal of information already known about the original 'Seong Jihan.'

A level 1 gambling addict who was actually the Martial God?

No one would believe that at face value.

“How did you manifest into the body of a person called Seong Jihan?”

“It's related to his gift... that's all I'll say.”

“Gift... ! Ah, Martial God, you sided with Yoon Seah so much that you opposed the Sword King... Is there a particular reason for that?”

“I made a deal with Seong Jihan to protect her.”

Seong Jihan answered major questions based on the situation like this.

“...Lastly, I’m curious if you have any intention of participating in the Space League for the sake of humanity.”

As they reached the last question, he smiled.

“I am unable to participate.”

“Ah... is it that you can't participate with an avatar?”

“Yes. Not just the Space League, but I can't even play BattleNet games at all.”

“Ah….”

Not just Christopher, but even the interpreter expressed their disappointment with Seong Jihan's answer.

If the man who had crushed the Sword King were to join the Space League, it would be like an army of a million coming to their aid.

It was a pity that he couldn't play.

After Christopher's interview concluded,

this information was immediately compiled and broadcasted on the news:

- The Martial God actually gave good answers in the interview.

- Then, is that monster the Martial God’s avatar?

- Yes. Originally, he was said to be a nobody and a gambling addict.

- But what kind of gift made the Martial God enter his body?

- They didn't comment on that.

- It's a shame he can't participate in the Space League... if the Martial God joined humanity's team, they would at least avoid last place :(

-We must be satisfied with knowing how to remove dungeon portals...

- Is that even really possible?

Along with various reactions to the interview, doubts about the dungeon portal removal method also surfaced overseas.

Although it had been a few days since Seong Jihan revealed that the 'exploration' gift was key to attacking dungeon portals.

There weren't any videos showing the successful removal of a dungeon portal yet.

And perhaps because of that.

- I hear Christopher is going to raid an Abyss with the Martial God… I definitely have to watch that.

- Maybe we'll also see how the dungeon portal is removed, and its mechanism in that video?

- I guess even the Martial God can't easily subdue an Abyss like he can dungeon portals.

- Isn't it too dangerous though? Christopher's commentary is also an exploration ability user, shouldn't he be protected?

- So I heard American First is sending some escorts.

People were waiting for Christopher's Abyss raid video.

Meanwhile,

A few hours after the interview ended for Christopher.

"…This is Jack, and this is my younger sister, Sophia."

He introduced the five players from American First who had come with him.

'Barren didn't come.'

Since his head was shaved by Seong Jihan and he was now a guild master, he must have thought it wasn't appropriate to tag along without a plan.

'Among the five, the top-tier players are Sophia and Jack.'

Since Sophia was well known, that was fine.

Jack was also a player Seong Jihan remembered.

And that was because.

- OMG Jack... wasn't he a Chinese spy in Seong Jihan's scenario before?

- Yeah, lol, that's right.

Player Jack was a spy recruited by China.

- He's the least spy-like with his red hair and blue eyes.

-The real Jack insisted he wasn't a spy... I hope he doesn't cause any trouble here?

- Was he already recruited by China during this mission?

- I wonder what will happen...

- I think he wouldn't mess with the Martial God though.

While Seong Jihan's viewers were discussing Jack,

[Hello! Martial God!]

He greeted Seong Jihan with a smile.

He was a person with a sociable attitude despite seeing the Martial God's power.

On the other hand.

[H, hello...]Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Sophia, on the other hand, was wary of Seong Jihan, showing a troubled expression.

* * *

‘That’s unexpected.’

Sophia.

In both her first life and this one.

She had been clearly showing good intentions towards Seong Jihan from their first meeting.

She liked his appearance and enjoyed strong warriors, or so it was said.

So, he always ignored the affection she displayed.

“…”

However, now she was visibly uneasy and wary of Seong Jihan in his Martial God form.

‘Well, maybe this is the normal reaction.’

It might have been difficult for Sophia to blindly show affection towards Seong Jihan who revealed himself as the Martial God’s avatar.

And considering the things Seong Jihan had done in front of people.

It was natural to fear him and feel uncomfortable.

- It's weird seeing Sophia act like that towards Seong Jihan.

- Fr, considering she lived in Korea just to see Seong Jihan.

- Isn't she holding back because it’s the Avatar of the God? Lol

- She looks like she wants to get out of here quickly though...

- Did she come because of her brother this time?

Viewers were surprised by the sight.

The usual Sophia wouldn’t find it weird to show clear affection towards Seong Jihan.

Yet she was showing that she wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible, which was refreshing.

'Well, her affection isn’t important here.'

Seong Jihan looked at Christopher.

"Okay… Well, now that I've been introduced, should we depart immediately?"

“R, right away, you mean?”

"Yeah. Everyone's busy anyway. We need to finish this fast so you can all return to America."

Then, Seong Jihan added one more detail.

"On the way, if there's a dungeon portal, we'll go in and destroy it. Let's verify the effect of the exploration ability."

[Translator - Asura]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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"Ah…! We're okay with that."

"Then, tell them to prepare the vehicles right away.”

And just like that, the Abyss exploration team was formed, as fast as lightning strikes cooking beans.

Even if the players for the exploration team were decided, going to the northern land where the Abyss was located was not as easy as one thought.

"The US government says they can't send American First players until the monsters in the north are cleared."

"Really?"

Manager Park Yoonsik delivered the US government's decision with a troubled face.

"Yes. Instead, they offered to provide tactical nuclear weapons to clear the way."

Tactical nuclear weapons.

Seong Jihan frowned upon hearing those words.

When he was exploring the Abyss with the Sword King in the past, the US government wasn't this strict, it seemed.

"Are there that many monsters in the north that they would use tactical nukes?"

"Yes... As humanity fell to the bottom, the number of monsters emerging from the dungeon portals has greatly increased. It's a good thing the monsters are confined to the dungeon portals. If they had gone south, Korea would have been devastated too."

Then Park Yoonsik, watching Seong Jihan, added.

“Also, now that the Abyss exploration is about to begin, there are growing concerns about a dungeon break...."

"Dungeon break, huh."

Dungeon break.

It was a reaction when entering the Abyss's territory.

Normally, the monsters that were confined to the radius of the dungeon portal were released from their shackles and began to move.

During the tutorial, they had only managed to barely stop it because the Saintess, Seong Jiah, used her self-sacrifice magic.

"…Compared to the tutorial, there are a lot more monsters this time. Everyone knows the Martial God's strength, but the US side still wants to ensure the safety of their own players."

They wanted a piece of the Abyss raid, so they sent American First players, but.

After checking the situation in North Korea, there were simply too many monsters.

So the US side was arguing that they couldn't go to the Abyss until they were cleared.

"I understand their concerns. Fine. I’ll just clear them myself."

"Yes...? You mean by yourself, Martial God?"

"I have to bring Seah, too."

The way he spoke as if he was just going out for a walk nearby.

Park Yoonsik was speechless and only blinked.

How many monsters were piled up now in North Korea and how many dungeon portals were created?

How could he clear that all by himself?

'Even if the Martial God is strong... he’s talking about conquering the north by himself, isn't he?'

The Martial God had, of course, proven his strength by crushing the Sword King.

But wiping out all the monsters and dungeon portals from the front lines to Pyongyang was another scale of the problem.

Otherwise, why would the US government offer to provide tactical nuclear weapons first?

However.

"I'll clear the path quickly, so tell the American First guys to rest here for a day or two."

"Oh. Is one or two days…enough?"

"One day is enough, I gave them one more day to get ready."

Seong Jihan spoke as if he was going on a business trip to a nearby area, and not as if it was something important.

And then.

"Martial God! May I also follow you on your expedition?"

Christopher, who heard this story from Park Yoonsik, immediately asked Seong Jihan with his interpreter.

"I'd imagine that the US government would be unwilling to let you?"

"They gave permission since I promised to film from afar."

I guess he wants to see how to defeat monsters.

“Alright then.”

Seong Jihan readily allowed it, and

[We also want to observe!]

Other American First players also expressed their desire to go.

“Sure. Let’s all go then.”

And so, the group headed to the front lines by helicopter right away.

[Wow...]

[The number of monsters... I can't believe it...]

Arriving at the front lines that formed the border with North Korea,

What they saw was a dense crowd of monsters across the border.

The American First players who came to see the Martial God open the path stared at the swarm of monsters they could not possibly see in America, and looked pale.

'How does he plan to reach the Abyss by getting through that swarm?'

'Shouldn't we... return to America right now?'

Even though North Korea was the first country to collapse after BattleNet started.

The number of monsters was just too much.

"Even if they used tactical nukes, it probably wouldn’t work because there are too many ghost-type monsters."

“At that number, regular monsters would probably survive the nukes as well...?”

"Ha. Do they not even eat?"

"No, and that's the problem."

As the people thought of retreat upon seeing the monsters piled up on the mountain,

"Then, let's clear them."

Swoosh.

Seong Jihan walked out of the helicopter and into the air.

[Translator - Asura]

[Proofreader - Gun]

w