The Martial God who Regressed Back to Level 2

The Red Administrator’s red eyes.

As Martial God faced them directly, he felt his distorted memories returning.

‘Escaping from the Sun King’s laboratory was entirely due to him.’

The Sun King, who coveted Martial God’s body, had tried countless times to enter it.

His surveillance wasn’t lax enough for a newborn Martial God to escape.

It was possible because of that red eye’s instructions.

The sudden seizure of the Sun King’s slave who was managing him.

The test tube breaking and creating an opening because of it.

Finding all the correct escape routes instinctively, despite everything being a new sight.

[…So you were the one giving me instructions.]

“Do you remember now?”

[And even when I was active on Earth, you always exerted influence over me…]

His escaped self joining the ‘Blood Clan’ experimenting on Earth.

At first helping with their experiments, then later betraying and killing them all.

He thought it was all his own judgment then, but behind the scenes, the Red Administrator’s influence was present.

[Why did you do that? Your clan must have been loyal.]

“They lacked ability. So I decided to sacrifice them for the greater cause.”

[By greater cause, you mean…]

“Constructing the Hell. The Blood Clan was most valuable when dead.”

The Red Administrator spoke of his own race as being most useful when dead.

Watching this, Martial God asked him,

[If what you say is true, I must lack ability too… So why am I your creation?]

“So you recognize your lack of ability.”

[I’ve realized that much of what I’ve done until now was due to your influence.]

From the escape to becoming the Martial God.

Among numerous choices, Martial God thought he had come this far due to his own excellent abilities.

But in reality, that wasn’t the case.

Until entering the infinite regression, many of the choices he made,

Were mostly made under the Red Administrator’s influence.

Without him, the being known as Martial God probably couldn’t have come this far.

As he looked at the Red Administrator with sunken eyes, he gave an unexpected answer.

“Ability isn’t necessarily limited to one area. You have enough ability to be called my creation.”

[…What ability do you mean?]

“From birth, you had an extremely strong will to live.”

[The desire to live? That’s common to all living beings. This can’t be called an ability.]

“That’s not true.”

The Red Administrator smiled at Martial God’s words.

“The pain the Sun King gave you was intense and persistent. His torture was so severe that anyone else would have wished for death. But you struggled desperately to survive somehow.”

[…That’s my ability? Wanting to live?]

“Yes. Your will exceeded the threshold enough to select you as my creation.”

Was desperately struggling to live, not wanting to die right after birth,

Really so great as to be called a ‘creation’ by the Red Administrator?

Although Martial God couldn’t easily accept this explanation.

Swish…

“It was because of that will that you managed to maintain your sanity in this infinite regression. Instead of me.”

As the Red Administrator said this while looking around at the Constellation relics,

Martial God’s eyes widened.

[Instead of you… Even the infinite regression was planned by you?]

“No. That was your species’ ability. I just made it so it wouldn’t be detected.”

The Red Administrator twirled his finger as he spoke.

“Originally, the infinite regression would have been quickly detected as an ‘error’ by the BattleNet and immediately dealt with. However, thanks to me modifying the system and creating the Constellation relics, you were able to gather power to this extent.”

[Hah! So you… completed this.]

“Yes. Since you’re gathering power instead of me, I had to take care of you, didn’t I?”

[…I endured in these countless regressions, hoping only to become a permanent administrator…]

Infinite regression.

Living repeatedly by turning back time was unbearably painful.

At first, it was manageable because power gathered well in the Constellation relics.

As time passed, power barely increased even with repeated regressions.

It wasn’t easy to endure, wondering how long this had to continue.

Yet he endured it all.

It was solely for the goal of becoming a permanent administrator and erasing the Sun King’s brand, but…

“I dislike boredom. Thank you for enduring that long time instead of me and gathering so many weapons.”

As the Red Administrator rolled his eyes saying this, Martial God couldn’t contain his anger.

[Instead of you… How dare you! I won’t hand this over. Die!]

As Martial God said this and tried to summon power to his snake head.

“Hmm, your other abilities are truly pathetic.”

Flash!

As the Red Administrator’s eyes glowed red, Martial God’s power immediately dissipated.

[No…]

“Why don’t you understand that you can’t defy me?”

[…It wasn’t like this before.]

“That was possible then because you cut me with Dongbang Sak’s sword.”

The Red Administrator raised the corner of his mouth.

“But now, you don’t have that, do you?”

[…There was already a restriction.]

“Yes, you can’t resist this eye.”

As the Red Administrator said.

Martial God couldn’t defy him in front of those eyes.

The previous time he subdued the Red Administrator was only possible because he dispatched Dongbang Sak.

Even then, if he had faced him one-on-one, he would have become his slave without being able to move.

[Are you… planning to devour me?]

When Martial God asked this in a powerless tone,

The Red Administrator unexpectedly shook his head.

“No?”

[…You say no?]

“That’s right. If I was going to take over your body, I would have done it long ago.”

True.

If that was his intention, when the Red Administrator popped out of Dongbang Sak’s sealing formation,

He would have taken control immediately.

But the Red Administrator stalled for time, saying he would remove the Devil’s Intrusion if given the Constellation relics.

“I never intended to step forward in the first place. Not until you tried to escape.”

[Escape… You mean moving Tuseong?]

“Yes.”

Ziiing…

As light shone from the Red Administrator’s eyes,

Seong Jihan’s image appeared before him.

“Bring the Blue Administrator here and kill him for certain. Then I’ll give you freedom.”

[You could take my power and kill him yourself…]

“Combat is the only thing I can’t do. Besides, my ‘Red’ is his antithesis.”

Blue, born to subdue the Red.

There was no need to clash with such abilities unnecessarily.

“Show the power of Martial God. The 17777th.”

[With my current power, I can’t defeat him. The Constellation relics are bound by the seal…]

“I’ll release that for you. Just hand over 100 Constellation relics.”

[100…]

Earlier he asked for 20, but now his demand was excessive.

But as the red eyes flashed,

Martial God couldn’t object and was handing over the weapons.

“Now then.”

Whoosh…!

Half of the Constellation relics Martial God handed over burst into flames and countless letters appeared and disappeared in the air.

Soon, before his eyes.

[System modification.]

[Stat Devil’s Intrusion is being changed, deleted…]

[Connection with Constellation relics is being released.]

[Newly connecting with Constellation relics.]

Countless system messages were appearing.

‘This is… an administrator.’

Watching the opponent directly modify the system, Martial God felt an enormous wall.

To reverse the Devil’s Intrusion that completely sealed him with just 50 weapons.

Was this what it took to be called an administrator?

After 10 minutes passed like that.

[The connection is being restored…!]

Martial God exclaimed as he felt the Devil’s Intrusion disappear and the connection with the Constellation relics restore.

To think this could be resolved so easily.

As he was checking his condition like that.

“It’s done. I’ll put the rest to good use.”

Thud! Thud!

The Red Administrator, who stuck the remaining 50 weapons into his body,

Created a portal made of fire behind him.

[Are you leaving Tuseong?]

“Yes. You need to catch the Blue Administrator, and I shouldn’t interfere from here.”

Was he really just taking those Constellation relics and leaving?

For a being who can control him with just a glance, it seemed too modest.

As Martial God watched the Red Administrator’s actions in confusion,

He answered his unspoken question.

“Are you wondering why I’m only taking this much?”

[Yes. You could be greedier.]

“Haha, if you had ability, I would have taken more. But your talent is poor except for your survival instinct, so I considerately left more weapons for you.”

[Huh…]

So he was taking the minimum amount of weapons in case Martial God can’t catch Seong Jihan.

As Martial God looked at him with displeasure,

“So, make sure to kill the Blue Administrator this time. That’s how you’ll gain your freedom.”

The Red Administrator ordered him once more as he entered the fiery portal.

The Red Administrator, more sincere than anyone about catching Blue.

[…Understood.]

Martial God followed his order.

* * *

Inside the sealing site.

The Red World Tree was now completely withered and twisted.

With Dongbang Sak’s Taiji Sword and Gilgamesh’s Heavenly Tree Descending Spirit combined,

Even the World Tree that seemed to have infinite life force eventually lost its power.

‘If we leave this any longer, there won’t be anything left for the Taiji Sword to feed on.’

Seong Jihan, who had been absorbing life force using Gilgamesh as a medium, said,

“Hey, let’s stop eating now.”

Thud!

He pulled Gilgamesh’s body back.

“Why, why… I still need to absorb more life force!”

“What? Your body is fully regenerated, isn’t it?”

Unlike before, thanks to Seong Jihan allowing Gilgamesh’s body regeneration,

He had regained his original adult body.

This should be enough, what more did he want?

But,

“I haven’t recovered my reproductive ability yet.”

The other party hadn’t recovered something important yet.

“…Didn’t that disappear from you?”

“No! I saw hope in that World Tree. If I absorb more life force from there, I think I can have offspring!”

“Want to become a skull again?”

“Ah, please…!”

“Inventory.”

“Eek!”

Gilgamesh trembled at the sound of “inventory”.

‘Sigh… Why is he so ugly.’

To think this is Adam, it’s truly the end times.

Seong Jihan thought this as he forcibly dragged him outside.

‘Still, thanks to him I’ve almost fully recovered.’

Seong Jihan recalled the gains he got through Gilgamesh.

[Eternity increases by 7.]

[The efficiency of the incomplete stat ‘Eternity’ increases.]

Just by extracting life force from him through Heavenly Tree Descending Spirit,

His Eternity stat increased by 7 and its efficiency also improved.

Even his shattered face had recovered to a cracked level like before.

His current physical condition could be considered perfect.

‘Now, I should pull out the sword.’

With all preparations complete, it was time to catch Martial God.

Seong Jihan looked at the Taiji Sword stuck in the sealing formation.

“…Dongbang Sak was truly a monster. How could he implement such a sword? He was certainly worthy of being called my son. I should have called him that earlier…”

“Stop talking nonsense. Don’t try to associate yourself with him.”

“But isn’t it true! You’re all my descendants…!”

Thwack!

He hit the head of Gilgamesh who was talking nonsense behind him.

Then approached the sword.

‘Indeed… Blue resonates with the light.’

The stat Blue combined with Martial Soul.

This power reacted with the light emitted by the Taiji Sword,

Allowing Seong Jihan to safely enter.

If Blue and Martial Soul hadn’t combined, he would have been repelled even after entering here.

Seong Jihan grasped the Taiji Sword.

Then,

[You receive the final verse of the Annihilation God’s Secret, Galactic Sword Scar…]

The light of the Taiji Sword gathered towards him.