The Martial God who Regressed Back to Level 2

“Huh? What, what is this?”

Yoon Seah looked at the message window that popped up in front of her with a startled expression.

“Uncle… We have a big problem!”

“Why, did you get a message saying to become the owner of the Arena?”

“Huh? How did you know? Can the Administrator see the messages too?”

“No. A hat worn by the Arena Owner appeared on your head.”

“What, really?”

Surprised by Seong Jihan’s words, Yoon Seah looked in the mirror.

“…There’s nothing there though?”

“You can’t see it with your own eyes?”

“No, what’s going on? Am I already chosen?”

Yoon Seah waved her hand above her head with an uneasy look.

Her hand brushed against a black fedora.

‘Seems it has no physical form.’

Seong Jihan stared intently at that hat.

The hat that had completely absorbed the Arena Owner at the end.

At first glance, it didn’t seem to emit a particularly strong void aura.

“What exactly did the message say?”

“It said ‘Great Vessel of the Void is granted the opportunity to become the Arena Owner. Do you accept the Apostle position?’ A black background message window popped up…”

So they’re putting the hat on her right away, but still asking for her consent.

Seong Jihan said to her:

“Don’t do it.”

“Don’t do it? But wouldn’t becoming the Arena Owner help you, uncle?”

“Not doing it is what helps. I don’t want to turn my niece’s face into a universe either.”

“Ah, that universe…”

Yoon Seah, who had seen the Arena Owner’s face through Seong Jihan’s broadcast, scratched her cheek.

“That was the previous Arena Owner though. Wouldn’t it be different if I did it?”

“Hmm… That’s true. But do you actually want to do it?”

“You said that old man is coming to attack earlier. I want to be of some help too.”

“It’s okay. I’ve already prepared countermeasures.”

“…Really? Uncle, can you really defeat that monster old man?”

When Yoon Seah asked skeptically, Seong Jihan nodded calmly.

“Of course. I’ve finished all the preparations, so you don’t need to help.”

“Hmm…”

“Of course, if you want power, that’s a different issue… but I don’t really recommend it.”

“Well, being strong is good, isn’t it?”

“There’s nothing good about being deeply connected to the Void.”

Seong Jihan advised Yoon Seah like that.

“Uncle, are you really fully prepared?”

“Yes, don’t worry.”

“Okay. Then I won’t do it. Being the Arena Owner seems kind of random anyway.”

She grinned as she said that.

“Plus that black fedora and universe form. I didn’t like any of it.”

“You made a good decision.”

“Then I’ll press decline.”

Click.

As Yoon Seah touched the air.

Ziiing…

“Huh?”

This time, a black message window that even Seong Jihan could see appeared.

[You pressed incorrectly.]

[I will ask once more.]

[Great Vessel of the Void is granted the opportunity to become the ‘Arena Owner’. Will you accept the Apostle position?]

“No, I pressed correctly…”

Beep.

Yoon Seah pressed ‘No’ again, but.

[Please make a wise decision.]

[I will ask once more.]

[Great Vessel of the Void is granted the opportunity to become the ‘Arena Owner’. Please accept the Apostle position.]

The black message window kept persistently popping up.

“Ah! I said I won’t do it!”

Even though she kept pressing ‘No’, the black message window endlessly reappeared.

‘Why is it so persistent?’

Seong Jihan frowned as he saw that.

“Hey, Seah said she won’t do it, so can you go away?”

Swish swish.

As he waved his hand as if shooing away a fly while saying that.

Swoosh…

The rectangular black message window crumpled and gathered into one mass.

As it gradually turned purple.

Hiss!

It slowly spread its energy in all directions, then transformed into a star shape.

“…A starfish?”

As Yoon Seah was reminded of a starfish looking at the wriggling star.

[I am the ‘Messenger’, 11th in the Void hierarchy.]

[I will directly ask the most likely candidate closest to becoming the Arena Owner.]

[Please accept the position of Void Apostle.]

The being calling itself the Messenger revealed its form.

* * *

11th in the hierarchy, the Messenger.

‘Quite a high-ranking one has come.’

Was persuading Yoon Seah that important?

Seong Jihan opened his mouth as he watched the purple starfish spinning round and round in the air.

“Is it okay for a high-ranking Void being to just enter someone else’s domain like this?”

[This body is merely an avatar dedicated solely to messenger duties. There is no power inside, but…]

Bow.

The top part of the starfish contracted, then expanded again.

[I apologize for entering the Blue Administrator’s domain without prior notice.]

“Okay… I understand for now.”

[Then I will say it again. Most likely candidate for Arena Owner. Please accept the position of Void Apostle.]

The Messenger asked her to become a Void Apostle again right after he said he understood.

“Why are you so fixated on Seah?”

[She has awakened the aptitude to contain massive amounts of Void. This is an essential ability needed to enter the highest ranks of the Void. It is especially suitable for handling the duties that the Arena Owner was in charge of.]

“Great Vessel of the Void is at that level?”

[Yes, with her abilities, she could become the Arena Owner within 100 years.]

“…100 years?”

[Yes, that would be the youngest ever.]

100 years being the youngest ever.

As expected, becoming the Arena Owner is not an easy thing.

“But was the Late Bloomer gift originally related to Void talent?”

[Not originally. However, this Late Bloomer is unusual. This gift had never even reached EX rank before.]

“Really?”

[Yes. At most it only reached SSS rank when fully developed… It seems to be related to the human race’s limits not being set.]

Was the butterfly effect of the human race’s limits being removed causing this?

‘That Red guy really has his fingers in everything.’

Thinking that, Seong Jihan asked the Messenger:

“Let’s say she has the aptitude. But Seah becoming the Arena Owner is a separate issue.”

[I don’t understand. Why are you refusing this? The Arena Owner is a being that can be considered on the level of an absolute being in the BattleNet world.]

“Oh really? It didn’t seem like much when I fought him.”

[The Arena Owner was in a greatly weakened state when fighting you. If he could have utilized all his granted powers, the battle would have gone differently.]

The Arena Owner who betrayed the Void and fled with Red.

He thought he was manageable to fight for a top Void rank, but was his usable power greatly weakened at that time?

[Are you hesitating because it’s a ‘candidate’ position? Don’t worry. You are the most likely candidate.]

“Is that why you put that hat on her?”

As Seong Jihan pointed at Yoon Seah’s head, a black eye suddenly popped out from the center of the starfish’s body.

[Hat? I can’t see anything… It seems only the Administrator can see it.]

“Only my eyes?”

He had just accepted it when Yoon Seah said she couldn’t see it.

But it’s definitely strange if even the Void Messenger can’t see it.

As Seong Jihan looked at the black fedora placed on Yoon Seah’s head.

[Yes. Ah, then it seems He has already internally approved! Come now, there’s no need to worry anymore. Please become the Arena Owner, Miss Yoon Seah!]

“Um… about that.”

[Seeing as you’ve already been internally approved, even 100 years seems too long. Just endure for a few decades and you can become my superior! Come, let’s go to the Void!]

After learning that the hat was already placed, the Messenger was spinning even faster than before, pushing Yoon Seah to make a choice.

“Uh… but does that mean I won’t be human anymore?”

[That’s right! You’ll transcend far beyond the human race and evolve into a Cosmos!]

Cosmos, meaning universe.

Hearing that word, Yoon Seah asked with a look of disbelief:

“…Cosmos? Don’t tell me, the universe face?”

[Yes! I’m so envious… Even after tens of thousands of years as a Messenger, I still can’t become a Cosmos. To think you could become one just by receiving a gift well…]

An envious response flowed from the starfish.

[The Blue Administrator too. For such talents to emerge from one family, I’m truly envious… If it’s not too impolite, may I collect some blood samples?]

“That would be impolite.”

[How disappointing…]

“You should go for today. We need to think about this too.”

[Why do you need to think about this? This is like winning the grand prize lottery and not claiming it.]

Seong Jihan frowned.

This guy was really persistent.

‘Words won’t work.’

Swoosh…

A blue sword formed in his right hand.

“If you don’t leave, I’ll just destroy that hat myself.”

Tap. Tap.

He lightly tapped above Yoon Seah’s head with the blade.

As he did so, a small crack appeared in the hat.

Hiss…

Void rapidly spread throughout the training room.

‘Has Blue developed to easily cut even the Void hat?’

As Seong Jihan stopped the sword while looking at the instantly cracked fedora.

Swoosh…!

The Void that had flowed out from the hat’s crack was quickly absorbed into Yoon Seah’s body.

“Wow, uncle what did you do? My Void suddenly increased by 20!”

“I just poked at the Arena Owner hat a bit, and it leaked out right away.”

“Ah… so there really is a hat. Only the Administrator can see it? That’s cool.”

Yoon Seah waved her palm above her head while looking in the mirror.

Though the uncle and niece reacted calmly even after making a crack in the hat…

[Ah, s-so there really was a symbol of the Arena… I-I’m so sorry!]

The Messenger who had been persistently trying to recruit just moments ago now showed a shocked reaction.

[I’ll withdraw immediately! So please, just don’t touch the hat anymore!]

“Why? Will something bad happen if we destroy it?”

[I’ll fail my Cosmos promotion evaluation…!]

“Ah, that is a big deal.”

Even 11th rank cares about promotions, huh.

Seong Jihan smirked and waved his sword.

“Then go.”

[Yes… I sincerely hope you make a good decision! Miss Yoon Seah, just say ‘Summon Messenger’ and I’ll pop out anytime. Please accept the Void Apostle position!]

The Messenger didn’t stop talking until its form completely disappeared.

“…What should I do?”

“Don’t do it. Even if you become the Arena Owner, you’ll just be operating the Space Arena… Do you want to run a fighting arena?”

“…That does sound a bit…”

“Well, I won’t stop you if you want to abandon being human and become the great Cosmos race.”

“Ugh, right… Becoming the Arena Owner means definitely getting the universe face, huh.”

“Yeah. Of course, the final choice is yours. It would be good to learn more about the Arena Owner position.”

The Arena Owner position.

To be honest, Seong Jihan didn’t know much about it either.

He used to think it was just a high-ranking position with nothing to do except maintain personal Void training rooms.

“For now we’ve postponed the decision, so I’ve asked the Shadow Queen to gather information related to the Arena Owner.”

“Okay, it was too sudden… I’ll think about it.”

“Yeah. And even if you decide, wait until I finish my work.”

“Work? What work?”

Seong Jihan pointed west with his finger.

“I have to make a business trip to the West Sea.”

“…Are you going to fight that old man?”

“Yeah.”

The time when Tuseong’s seal would be released and Dongbang Sak would come to uproot the World Tree.

That moment had finally arrived.

“Are you… really prepared?”

“Yeah. I’ve made all the preparations thoroughly. Don’t become a Void Apostle because of me, okay?”

“Ah, okay. I’ll wait quietly!”

After getting confirmation from Yoon Seah once more, Seong Jihan said,

“Alright. I’ll be back then.”

He left the training room and headed to the sealing site.

Whoosh!

‘Is it because Blue’s ability has gotten stronger… It’s really fast.’

When he properly sped up, he quickly arrived at the center of the West Sea.

As Seong Jihan floated above the sea with his arms crossed,

Crack…!

The sky split in half.

Through that gap, Dongbang Sak revealed himself.

“You’ve come?”

Seong Jihan waved his hand towards Dongbang Sak, then…

“…But what’s that creepy thing on your head?”

He frowned as he examined Dongbang Sak’s face more closely.

There,

A snake head shape was sitting like a helmet.