The Martial God who Regressed Back to Level 2

The sudden disconnection from BattleNet had consequences that escalated over time for all humanity.

-What happened… I just woke up to this chaos?

-Where did my level go? I just made it to the gold league!!

-This isn’t about levels; my father can’t think straight anymore… He just got discharged…

-It feels so strange being back to the lowest-tier species…

The people, reverted to the state of the lowest-tier species, immediately felt the deprivation.

Especially in homes where severely ill family members had regained health and been discharged.

Not everyone suffered relapses, but many were shocked to see old illnesses return.

-We should never have left BattleNet…

-Can’t live like before, really.

-How do we even go back to how things were?

Amidst this chaos, the only thing working as before was BattleTube.

However,

-Everything on the Shadow Queen’s channel isn’t turning off…

-Are we supposed to gather here?

-Was the Shadow Queen in on this?

-Don’t know; things changed too quickly…

With broadcasts on other channels shutting down, only the Shadow Queen’s channel was functioning correctly.

“We might have set a viewing record, but now we’ve caught the Red Administrator’s eyes,”

The Shadow Queen, frowned at her channel frame.

Just then,

Thud. Thud.

Yoon Seah and Seong Jiah approached her.

“Wouldn’t it be better to shut down the channel rather than let the Red Administrator use it?”

“I would if I could, but it won’t turn off.”

[Really? Not just for the viewers?]

“Seriously, it’s true. Right now, humanity is being treated as irrelevant on BattleTube. Even if a hundred billion people gather, they won’t give any GP.”

-Wait, what happened to my GP!

-Systems are down, think GP exists?

-Aw, I exchanged a billion yesterday, such a loss…

-Lost money and health…

-Wait, I used GP to pay back tuition fees to my parents; convert it to dollars already!

As GP also vanished with BattleNet’s disconnection, panic ensued since so much was lost in such a brief moment.

Amid this, a red eye unexpectedly appeared beneath the Shadow Queen’s channel.

[Humanity, do you wish to regain what you’ve lost?]

Spoken in a gentle tone by the Red Administrator, the camera then zoomed in on Yoon Seah approaching.

[For that, she is needed.]

“Why are you zooming in on me?”

Next to her, a starfish suddenly appeared.

[Red Administrator, what are you doing right now?]

[Isn’t it obvious, Messenger of the Void.]

[I have already reported this incident to the Black Administrator. He will not ignore this.]

[Heh…]

The Red Administrator only laughed at the mention of the Black Administrator intervening soon.

[Earth and humanity no longer belong to BattleNet’s world. The Void cannot intervene immediately.]

[But if you intervened to cause this problem, it’s different. We have the authority to intervene during emergencies.]

[Is that so? Why haven’t you come then?]

The starfish, the Messenger, kept silent for a moment before continuing.

[Communication has been severed… Could it be that the White Administrator is also involved in this?]

[Who knows, I’m not sure.]

[…That explains it. There’s a reason behind what you’ve been doing.]

Swoosh…

As the starfish enlarged, blocking Yoon Seah’s path, the Red Administrator spoke.

[There’s no need to block her. I have no intention of touching her directly unless she takes off the hat herself.]

“Why would I take this off?”

Yoon Seah, touching her head.

Ziiiiing…

Suddenly, many screens appeared before her, showing people in turmoil after suddenly becoming the lowest tier, collapsing, vomiting blood.

-Emergency lines aren’t responding, now I see why…

-Ah, isn’t that Oliver from America? Why did he kill himself?

-He wasn’t committing suicide, he was flying with magic and fell.

-Wow, such a big accident…

Among various emergency outbursts, many were caused by players overestimating their abilities.

In these screens, the Red Administrator then said,

[Seeing people like this, do you intend to remain the owner of the arena?]

“You did this.”

[You can help them.]

“On what grounds?”

Yoon Seah’s firm response was met with laughter from the Red Administrator.

[Heh… I see. So this is your answer. Humanity, one person’s sacrifice would have restored prosperity to six billion.]

-Who would listen to his words…

-Didn’t the Red Administrator cause this mess?

-Maybe cooperating was better given the circumstances.

-?? How can you trust him and ask Yoon Seah to sacrifice?

-Maybe…

As opinions diverged while people watched Yoon Seah refuse,

Flash!

Below the channel screen, a big red eye flashed.

[Still, I will offer you an opportunity.]

And then,

Eyes popped out from the screen.

-Wow, spooky, the eyes actually popped out!

-Ugh, so gross.

-I almost touched it

-I already touched it, what do I do?

Initially frightened by the actual red eyes protruding from below the screen,

[One hundred million.]

At the Red Administrator’s voice,

[The first hundred million humans to touch these eyes will regain what they once enjoyed.]

people quickly succumbed.

-Wait, what… this is nonsense!

-Who would press this?

-Yuck, so gross!

-People, don’t press this!

Despite screams from the Shadow Queen’s chat not to press the eyes,

Sssss…

A count appeared beside the eye.

And the count began counting down rapidly.

[Already over a million.]

Subsequently, a new screen showed those who had collapsed rising up and players regaining their abilities.

Especially,

[Oh… it worked. Status window. Two status windows are back…!]

Barren’s face, previously pale, lit up in a moment as he opened two status windows.

-…Seems to really work.

-Look at Baron’s face. it’s much better;

-Ah, I had more than a billion GP… Screw it, I’m pressing!

-Hey, I pressed it and everything is back to normal!

As the count increased geometrically,

One million became ten million.

And ten million soon reached thirty million,

-Why are they doing this? How can you trust the Red?

-People are dying; what choice do we have?

-Those who changed all their assets into GP have no choice but…

-I touched the eye for my collapsing father and he returned to normal…

People were becoming increasingly agitated.

Although it was evident the Red Administrator caused this issue, and his proposal was suspicious enough even for a child to notice,

For those in urgent situations, even a rotten rope must be grasped.

Thus, as the count rapidly reached a hundred million,

[It’s done.]

Swoosh…

The protruding red eyes retracted back into the screen.

* * *

-Ah, I haven’t pressed it yet…

-Got distracted and missed the chance again…

-Will there be another chance?

-Why would anyone press it, you fools?

-Just wait till Seong Jihan returns…

Amid a frenzied chat, people either begged for another chance or questioned the sanity of those who pressed.

With many seeing effects, public opinion was split.

To think the Red Administrator caused all this… People quickly sided with him.

Yoon Seah observed the public opinion shift with a cold gaze.

[You pressed well.]

The Red Administrator’s eyes suddenly protruded before Yoon Seah.

[Vessel, have you still not changed your mind?]

“What, cooperate with you?”

[Yes.]

Yoon Seah simply raised her hand, channeling the energy of the Void without responding further.

Instantly, a purple arrow formed.

Swoosh!

As the arrow flew, piercing through the red eye,

[I heard your answer… Then, I shall create a new vessel.]

Roar!

As the pierced eye vanished,

Suddenly, the sky turned blood red.

“Look outside…”

When Yoon Seah and her party looked out the living room window,

Faces with red eyes watched her through the glass, now quickly transforming into the form of a giant Red Administrator.

The giant’s face grew until it reached the rooftop of the Sword Palace.

[This building… was also home to the Blue Administrator.]

[He gave me quite some trouble, so I’ll transform this building into my new vessel.]

Transforming the Sword Palace into a vessel?

Yoon Seah watched as the giant Red Administrator reached towards the building, attempting to resist with Void Arrows, but,

[Such efforts cannot counter the power donated by a hundred million.]

Boom! Boom!

Void Arrows exploded in midair without reaching the Red Administrator.

Sssss…

And as his hand touched Sword Palace,

The windows and the building rapidly turned red.

-A hundred million donated power…

-Didn’t I say not to press it… His power just increased.

-People are dying, what can we do…?

-It’s all over now; Seong Jihan is nowhere, and communication is cut… Better to align with the new trend.

-Really, what is Seong Jihan doing…

-Went to hunt the Martial God but lost our base.

As such, even though it turned out that pressing the eye had amplified the Red Administrator’s power, people felt they had no choice.

Some even blamed Seong Jihan, and Yoon Seah’s expression hardened.

[Fulfilling the Hell after dyeing the Blue’s stronghold red… Haven’t been this pleased in a long time.]

“…Where is my uncle?”

[Curious?]

As Yoon Seah asked,

Ziiiiing…

The Red Administrator kindly provided a screen.

It first showed Tuseong split in half by the Galactic Sword Scar.

[He may have split Tuseong, but he is trapped inside.]

As the screen zoomed in, an unconscious Seong Jihan appeared.

However,

The light barrier that had trapped him did not appear on the screen.

[Your administrator will now be sealed. Abandon your regrets and welcome a new ruler. Here’s your last chance.]

Swoosh…

With those words, the red eye popped out again.

The count, which had collected a hundred million,

Now aimed for two hundred million.

-Ah, Seong Jihan is really trapped…

-Doesn’t look too dangerous from the outside.

-But if he already handled the Martial God, why hasn’t he returned? Is he indeed trapped?

-Ah, but the count has increased to two hundred million… Should we really press this?

-I think since we can see Seong Jihan is alive, maybe we shouldn’t push it further.

-Should hold on a bit longer…

-But we’re already at a hundred and twenty million…

Seeming to sense it was futile, twenty million more were quickly added to the tally.

At this rate, two hundred million would be reached in no time.

[I don’t understand why he can’t come out… Surely, the Martial God has vanished.]

As the messenger said this, watching the screen,

Sssss…

Behind Seong Jihan, the Taiji emerged and his body was sucked into the sword.

[Hmm, unnecessary efforts…]

Watching this, the Red Administrator could only scoff.

Roar!

But as the dark sword pierced the void,

Flash!

Suddenly, out of the apparently dark void on the screen,

A barrier of light was revealed.

[What, this is… the barrier of light!]

“What is that?”

[It’s the absolute power of the White Administrator. He tried to seal the Blue Administrator with it. This actually proves that White was involved in this matter!]

Crackle. Crackle.

As the messenger excitedly jabbered, touching the screen,

[No! How can this be pierced…]

The Red Administrator, uncharacteristically flustered, hurriedly shut off the screen.

He had intended to show Seong Jihan imprisoned in Tuseong,

But had inadvertently broadcast his escape live.

[If this is how it’s going to be, I must make an effort…]

Roar…

Seeing Seong Jihan’s escape, the flame-rising Red Administrator attempted to transform the building into a vessel for the Hell,

Chzzzt!

But before he could proceed,

His head and torso were vertically split.

[This…]

The voice of the Red Administrator broke as he spoke.

His eyes rolled downward,

And there,

On the road as seen in the screen, the black Taiji Sword was stuck as if it had been there the whole time.

And then,

“I’m a bit late.”

From the sword, Seong Jihan emerged.