The Martial God who Regressed Back to Level 2

Did you see something?

‘Frankly, I saw something shocking.’

Seong Jihan recalled the owner of the Abyss, ‘Taiji’s Lost Soul.’

After passing the ethereal head of the giant, within it, was Seong Jihan himself, who had been divided by the Taiji Swordsmanship all this while.

‘However, mentioning that I’m in there is a bit… complicated.’

Although Pythia had greatly aided Seong Jihan, she was, after all, a disciple of the Martial God, making him hesitant to reveal the entire truth.

But if he did not provide any information, it would be difficult to expect any from her side as well.

“There were heads of the Giants with Red Eyes, and the Tree Spirits.”

Leaving out his part, Seong Jihan shared about encountering the blood clan.

“The heads of the giants… Could you describe exactly what they looked like?”

“They were fundamentally spectral in form.”

As Seong Jihan began to describe in detail about the heads of the giants, Pythia nodded seriously.

“These seem to be beings from the primordial times… two kinds of giants.”

“Do you know about them?”

“Yes. Since you undertook the Extinction Mission, from the prophecy… no, rather, from reading data of worlds that had ended, they started to appear often.”

Ziiing…

As Pythia spread her hands, a light burst forth, crafting a shape in the air.

First to appear was the Giant of Red Eyes.

Those whom the Dragon Lord had called the race of Red.

Though each had a different appearance, they all had distinct crimson eyes.

“The Giants with Red Eyes… These are the ‘Race of the Red,’ serving the ‘Red Administrator’ who is now missing.”

The Race of the Red.

Seong Jihan had encountered them before.

Captured by the forces led by Gilgamesh, they were crucified and executed by the spear of the Blood Clan.

And.

‘The red eyes that Gilgamesh had were similar to theirs.’

In the footage shown to Seong Jihan by Gilgamesh.

A giant red eye was writhing within a vortex.

The eye, which eliminated the limits of humanity’s growth and fed them sap for testing, greatly resembled the eyes of the Red Tribe.

Back then, numerous people couldn’t withstand the ‘sap’ and perished, but only Gilgamesh survived.

“The Red Tribe… What exactly are they up to?”

“I don’t completely understand their goals either. However, based on the data I read.”

Ziiing…

The image of the Giant with Red Eyes disappeared, and a new image of the Tree Spirit appeared.

“Their goal was to become these Tree Spirits. Known as the great golems, giants made from the World Tree. To achieve this, they seized control of the World Tree planted on Earth and conducted all sorts of experiments.”

“The World Tree… Are you talking about the elves’ World Tree?”

“Yes, exactly. The head of the elves’ World Tree experiment lab introduced the Red Tribe.”

Seong Jihan recalled the story he once heard from the branch manager.

-The Earth’s lab head fused themselves with the World Tree, incorporating the data of powerful races.

-Communication with Earth’s side was lost, and later, when the alliance’s investigation team was dispatched there… they only sent a message about ‘a critical error’ before going missing.

The Earth’s lab head who had fused themselves with the World Tree.

Was the creation resulting from their collaboration with the Red Tribe precisely the golems?

“Then, shouldn’t the entire Red Tribe have transformed into Great Golems? In the Abyss’s owner, both existed.”

“That was due to a lack of resources.”

“Resources?”

“Yes.”

Pythia slightly furrowed her brow as she said that.

“There weren’t enough humans for everyone to become great golems.”

“…Humans were the resources for becoming golems?”

“Yes. Specifically, humans who inherited Gilgamesh’s talents… those who could withstand the World Tree’s power were the main resources. Humanity was their livestock.”

Eliminating humanity’s growth limits and using them as experimental subjects was for this purpose.

Through Pythia, Seong Jihan was able to learn a step further about what had happened in the primordial times.

“I see… I guess I somewhat understand the giants’ identities thanks to you. But… is this relevant?”

“Excuse me?”

“They’ve all disappeared by now. Though their heads remain in the Abyss.”

Whether the Red Tribe ruled over humanity, or some other extraterrestrial entity did.

What mattered was the current situation.

As Seong Jihan switched to a more pragmatic discussion, Pythia’s eyes sparkled.

“The fact that only their heads are left is crucial.”

“The heads are?”

“Yes. Seong Jihan, you remember the elves’ regenerative ability, right?”

“Yes. Those creatures even put cockroaches to shame.”

“If even the elves, who could be considered the low rung of the World Tree Alliance, have such strong regenerative abilities… imagine how powerful those like the Red Tribe or Great Golems, who attempted to fuse with the World Tree, would be?”

“Well, they must be strong.”

Seong Jihan nonchalantly responded, recalling the giants who had been stabbed with the Blood Clan’s spear.

Even with their superior regenerative abilities, the Red Tribe could not withstand a spear inscribed with the code of extermination.

Didn’t that conclude their story?

However.

“Though their bodies have already disappeared, as you saw… their souls couldn’t be completely eradicated.”

“The ethereal heads you’re talking about?”

“Yes. Initially, I thought they were completely gone, but the souls of these two races started merging and consolidating over time, gradually beginning to restore themselves.”

“Their souls…”

“As the boundary between day and night collapsed, the souls of these divine beings spread far and wide, like a plague. Eventually, the world was overrun by myriad demons.”

“Myriad demons?”

Seong Jihan furrowed his brows.

That term brought something to mind.

“Does this situation… have anything to do with the Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods?”

* * *

“Yes.”

The Annihilation God’s Secret – Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods.

This technique, boasting absolute power against spirits, was originally supposed to be Dongbang Sak’s accomplishment.

However, after being stolen by the Martial God, Dongbang Sak instead demonstrated the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams.

“When Gilgamesh, who had saved humanity, disappeared and people suffered under the influence of the giants’ souls… Dongbang Sak appeared and sealed them.”

“Wasn’t his achievement stolen by the Martial God?”

“The data I viewed wasn’t like that. He traveled the world focusing on sealing the giants’ souls… the sealer was definitely Dongbang Sak. However.”

Pythia’s expression darkened.

“There was a limit to the sealing. Due to the exceptional regenerative abilities of the two races, even within the seal, their souls stirred…”

“And then?”

“Dongbang Sak met the Martial God. And… I couldn’t read any data beyond that.”

Flash! Flash!

Despite Pythia’s eyes emitting light several times.

No matter how much she tried, there seemed to be no information available about Dongbang Sak after meeting the Martial God.

“So, you couldn’t see the conclusion.”

“Yes… His actions after that, they are important.”

“What he did after meeting the Martial God? In the end, didn’t he just have the Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods stolen and received eternal life?”

“Hmm… But Dongbang Sak is different from other servants of the Martial God. When I was roaming the galaxy hunting constellations, he was even more feared than the Martial God.”

“More than the Martial God?”

Seong Jihan’s eyes widened at that.

When he called himself the Cosmic Devil, he had just shrugged it off.

But to think Dongbang Sak had an even worse reputation than his master?

“Really, Dongbang Sak is on another level? He’s extremely powerful. As long as he insists on serving as the Martial God’s servant, nothing good will come your way. The possibility of surpassing the Martial God would disappear.”

“You talk as if you’re not one of the Martial God’s servants.”

“I am… sigh.”

At Seong Jihan’s retort, Pythia sighed.

“While loading data, I also saw my fate in worlds that had ended. Do you know what happened?”

“No.”

“Without exception, I invoked divine eyes, using the the prophecy. I self-destructed every time!”

“Is that so?”

“Ah, well, yes. If that’s my destiny, my fate, I’ll accept it. But dying every time thinking, ‘Ah… this isn’t right.’?”

Pythia passionately vented about witnessing her own deaths.

“The Martial God definitely deceived me.”

“What do you think was the deception?”

“I’m not sure yet… but looking at how I was crying out during the prophecy, there’s definitely something.”

“…Got it. So, what do you plan to do now?”

“Dongbang Sak still displays unwavering loyalty to the Martial God. He says it’s because he was granted eternal life, but there are many dubious points.”

Smirk.

Pythia slightly lifted one corner of her mouth.

“To overcome the Martial God, we need to find the reason Dongbang Sak remains loyal and remove that factor. To subdue the Martial God, we must detach Dongbang Sak, who is like the Martial God’s sword.”

“Sounds good. But how will you find that?”

“We need to follow up on the data that couldn’t be read.”

The moment when Dongbang Sak met the Martial God, she meant.

Seong Jihan furrowed his brows.

“How do you figure out something that can’t be read?”

“It’s difficult… but we can’t just sit by and do nothing! Let’s go to the place where the two met.”

“And where is that?”

“Use my real power.”

“The Ice Sword Rain? Alright, let’s head outside.”

As Seong Jihan gestured towards the window and opened it.

Pythia stretched out her hands towards him.

“Don’t go alone, give me a lift.”

“…Why should I?”

“You’re going to fly out there, right? I can’t fly right now. I snuck out from the constellations. I shouldn’t use any power.”

“…”

Gently.

Seong Jihan lifted Sophia’s body and headed outside.

“Treating me like I’m some object… Seriously, people have no affection.”

“That’s not even your body.”

“Wouldn’t my sponsored player be happy?”

While floating behind and complaining, Pythia noticed.

Fundamental Divine Arts,

Annihilation God’s Secret:

Ice Sword Rain of the Frozen Heaven

As Seong Jihan used the Ice Sword Rain, her expression turned serious.

“Could you please put me on the sword rain?”

“That’s easy.”

Tuck.

Pythia stepped onto a massive ice sword.

As she drew something on it.

Swoosh!

The strand of swords rapidly expanded, slicing through the sky.

‘Where is she going?’

Tilting his head curiously, Seong Jihan followed behind the sky-splitting sword rain.

“Please make sure I don’t fall!”

“Sure.”

Keeping Pythia’s body close to the sword rain, he flew for a long time.

“…How far are we going? We’ve reached the North Sea.”

“It seems we’re almost there!”

Just a bit more, she said.

He had heard that several times by now.

‘At this rate, we’ll end up in China.’

Seong Jihan sighed and decided to see it through to the end.

Crossing the coast, reaching the middle of the North Sea, Pythia pointed,

“Here!”

Pointing to the rippling water below.

“Are you sure this is the right place?”

“…Maybe?”

Having pointed out the location herself, yet unsure due to the vast ocean, Pythia hesitated.

‘Let’s go and see.’

Seong Jihan descended toward the sea, taking her with him.

Until they were just above the water, he was somewhat indifferent, but.

‘…Hmm?’

As they drew closer to the water, his expression shifted to seriousness.

From beneath the sea.

He faintly felt a familiar aura.

“This is… the energy of life….”