<Chapter 47: The God of Martial Arts Reverted to Level 2>
11 PM, BattleNet Academy.
Seong Jihan frowned as he looked at the reporters who had taken up positions in front of the school gate.
'This brings back bad memories.'
After receiving an F-grade Gift, he had half-forced an interview with Yoon Seo-a, who was in a daze.
The relentless pressure of the interviews eventually made Yoon Seo-a confess about the "F-grade."
'I watched it from home, pacing back and forth...'
His useless uncle was of no help even then.
Ultimately, Yoon Seo-a's interview video spread widely on the internet, becoming a popular topic of conversation.
'I need to sort this out.'
Seong Jihan parked his car and approached the reporters.
His undeniable presence drew all the reporters' attention to him.
"If you're here waiting for Seo-a, you've come to the wrong place. There won't be any interviews today, so please leave."
The reporters hesitated at his words.
Especially those who had been on the receiving end of Seong Jihan's treatment before shrank back even more.
'If I get tied up like last time, it'll be terrifying...'
'I might end up paralyzed for who knows how long if I mess with him.'
'Maybe I should pretend to back off for now?'
However, a few who hadn't experienced Seong Jihan's wrath approached bravely and requested an interview.
"Mr. Seong Jihan? Is it possible to have an interview?"
Seong Jihan lightly extended his hand in response.
A force that dominated the space activated, and the approaching reporters were pushed back.
Most of them gave up on the interview as they were pushed back by the force.
"It's not right to do this. Using telekinesis!"
"Players shouldn't use their powers recklessly! Especially not on reporters! It's a violation of the public's right to know!"
Two reporters, despite being pushed back, continued to protest.
Seong Jihan snapped his fingers, and the two enthusiastic protesters' mouths stopped mid-sentence.
At the same time, their bodies stiffened.
They stood frozen like statues in front of the school gate.
"That's really... terrifying."
"Damn, the interview is ruined today."
The reporters had no choice but to retreat with grim faces.
Soon, a security guard who had been guarding the school gate approached with a horrified look.
"Those people... will they be released eventually? They will, right?"
"Yes. They'll be released when I leave."
"That's a relief. I was worried they'd stand there forever."
"But will the academy just leave those reporters like that?"
Seong Jihan crossed his arms and stared intently at the security guard.
"When Seo-a and I come out, I don't want to see them."
"They've been causing a lot of trouble..."
"We won't. The BattleNet Academy doesn't prioritize reporters over students, does it?"
"That's not the case, but..."
"If the reporters block our car—"
Seong Jihan's lips curled into a cold smile.
"I can't guarantee what might happen."
The security guard's spine tingled.
His words were polite, but the aura he exuded was anything but.
"...Understood. I'll make sure to send them away."
The Gift Hall was deserted.
Unlike the school gate, there was no one except for one security guard.
"Are you the guardian of student Yoon Seo-a?"
"You can wait at the table over there."
Seong Jihan followed the security guard's instructions and sat in the designated area beyond the hall.
Checking the time, it was already 11:30 PM.
Soon, it would be time for Yoon Seo-a to receive her Gift.
'Seo-a's Gift... I should have learned more about her ability in my previous life.'
Still, the reason Seong Jihan highly evaluated Yoon Seo-a's Gift was simple.
There was a Chinese ranker who had the same Gift as Yoon Seo-a.
She was the world's second-ranked player, who had fought alongside Baron in the final demotion match.
'Every time I heard about her Gift, I couldn't help but think of Seo-a's death, so I avoided detailed information...'
Of course, he knew the general outline of how the Chinese ranker had grown, but he hadn't delved into the details.
He had turned away from the painful memories.
'...At least I know the direction to develop that Gift.'
While Seong Jihan was lost in thought with his eyes closed,
a familiar voice came from beside him.
"Hello~ Uncle Seo-a? I'm Hee-soo."
From the hallway, a man's voice came with Kim Hee-soo.
Seong Jihan turned his head.
Three people were walking down the hallway.
Kim Hee-soo, a middle-aged man with a camera, and a muscular young man in a sleeveless T-shirt, who was walking quickly toward the table.
"Seo-a will be out soon, right? We have an interview scheduled."
"We're not doing any interviews."
"No, Seo-a agreed to do it with us."
Seong Jihan's eyes turned cold.
In his previous life, Seo-a clearly had no remaining friends.
He thought the past might have changed because she had been close to Kim Hee-soo until recently.
Was she just pretending to be friends?
Seong Jihan's firm response made Kim Hee-soo's smile deepen.
"We're doing an interview. Got it, bro?"
"Oh, right. That's the Bronze guy, isn't it?"
The young man in the sleeveless T-shirt walked over confidently.
At the same time, his muscles, which had been tensed, began to move unnaturally and hardened like stone.
A change that no ordinary person could achieve, no matter how much they exercised.
And this was only possible for players with the Warrior class.
"Wow, Bronze. You have a good eye, don't you?"
One of the skills that Warrior class players can learn at level 50, known for being essential for tank roles.
Using it openly meant the young man in the sleeveless T-shirt was at least level 50.
"Uncle, you threatened those reporters with telekinesis, right? Isn't it a bit much to use your powers on ordinary people?"
"Stay quiet until the interview is over, got it?"
"And my niece will play with me for a while before going in, so keep that in mind."
Kim In-sik stood in front of Seong Jihan, crossing his arms arrogantly.
"It doesn't matter now that she's turning 18, right? Yeah, we might stay up all night. Hehehe..."
Seong Jihan's eyes turned cold at his words.
Whether it was Kim Gyu-hyuk or this guy,
why were there so many people who crossed the line in this world?
At least Kim Gyu-hyuk had taken money to cross the line, but this guy was just despicable.
Seong Jihan extended his finger.
"Oh, you want to show me a taste of telekinesis? Do you think it'll work on me?"
Kim In-sik spoke confidently, but...
"Your powers don't work?"
Seong Jihan laughed as if it was amusing.
Seong Jihan pulled his finger.
A tearing sound came from Kim In-sik's head.
[At 18, you awaken as a Player.]
[You have received a Gift.]
Yoon Seo-a sighed involuntarily.
Fortunately, she had received a Gift.
Even as an academy student, the probability of receiving a Gift was less than 50%.
Most Players who awakened didn't have a Gift, so she had at least gotten off to a good start.
Yoon Seo-a opened her status window and her eyes widened.
The first stats that appeared were all 10.
Strength, Agility, Vitality, and Mana—all maxed out!
Yoon Seo-a couldn't help but feel a surge of pride.
But the joy was short-lived.
The most important part was still to come.
The Gift slot at the bottom of the status window.
While initial stats were crucial in determining a Player's potential,
the Gift's grade was even more important in deciding whether one would end up as an amateur or a pro.
When she saw her Gift, Yoon Seo-a's eyes widened again.
Her pupils trembled as she stared at the grade.
[Gift - Late Bloomer (Grade F)]
Even though Gifts were random...
She never expected to receive such a grade.
Yoon Seo-a couldn't help but sit down on the spot.
Even though her body was healthier after awakening as a Player,
Even in the summer of August,
her whole body was trembling.
She couldn't believe the result in front of her.
She closed and opened her eyes several times, hoping it was a dream,
but the status window mercilessly declared her F grade.
[Gift - Late Bloomer (Grade F)]
-Large vessels are formed late.
The description was so lackluster.