/

Chapter 76




<Chapter 76: The God of Martial Arts Who Regressed to Level 2>
* * *
[Owner~ It seems we have a visitor from American First.]
“I’ll go down.”
After finishing his daily game, Seong Jihan descended to the guild office.
The guild, which used to rent only a small office, now leased an entire floor of Sword Palace.
However, considering they might move out of this building someday, leasing the entire floor wasn’t the best choice.
“They say the government will use it? They won’t charge rent, so please use it….”
The government, which received Sword Palace as a donation, sent a building manager but didn’t touch Seong Jihan’s side.
The Battle.net management director, who had shouted at Seong Jihan to leave the penthouse, had already lost his power.
The Korean government was anxious, unable to provide various conveniences in case Seong Jihan might go abroad.
‘I should move out of here… but there’s no place better than the penthouse for Seo Ah’s training.’
Ironically, the penthouse where Sword King Yun Sejin once stayed was the best place for training, better than any famous gym outside.
“Back then, I was annoyed by my father’s traces… but now it’s fine. Where else would I find such facilities to train?”
After receiving the Gift, Yun Seoah.
She repeated high-intensity training daily, and everyone agreed that there was no better facility than this.
‘Thinking about that, it was a good decision to expand the office.’ The guild office was visible beyond the elevator.
There was still a lot of empty space, but a few people were moving around busily.
“Owner, you’re here?”
“The number of people has increased.”
“Yes. We’ve added some more to the most urgent video team. Your videos, as well as those of other guild members, are getting attention.”
“That’s great.”
“That’s the space used by the video team. Most of them work from home as freelancers, so there are many empty seats.”
I-hyeon shrugged.
“I wanted to hire them as full-time employees, but the editors are so used to working from home that they don’t want to come to the office.”
“But there is one person, right?”
“Oh, yes. She prefers coming to the office. She says it feels like going to work.”
In the space used by the video team, a woman was staring at the monitor, moving the mouse.
Then, she seemed to notice Seong Jihan’s arrival.
She jumped up from her seat and approached him.
“Hello~~ I’m Joo Eunji, the new hire!”
“Nice to meet you. I hope you do well with video editing.”
The young woman with glasses, whose skin was noticeably fair, had a rather unremarkable appearance.
“Yes! I’ll do my best! By the way, I’m a fan of Seong Jihan. Could I have an autograph, please?”
“Of course.”
Joo Eunji brought paper and a pen, handing the pen to Seong Jihan.
As their hands slightly touched while he took the pen,
“Oh, I, static electricity… I’m sorry.”
A slight static shock occurred where their hands touched.
“It’s okay. There’s no need to apologize for static electricity.”
Seong Jihan smiled as if nothing had happened and signed the paper for Joo Eunji with a skilled hand.
Perhaps because he had signed so many times in his previous life,
Seong Jihan’s signature in English was quite stylish.
“Owner, you sign really well. Did you practice?”
“Maybe a little?”
Seong Jihan looked at his signature.
It was the same as the one he had given to fans countless times in the U.S.
No matter how much he had regressed in time, habits remained.
“Thank you so much! I’ll treasure it!”
Joo Eunji, holding the signed paper, smiled and said energetically.
“Treasure it… well, then, good luck.”
Seong Jihan chuckled, lightly greeted Joo Eunji, and entered the guild master’s office with I-hyeon.
Joo Eunji, who had been watching Seong Jihan from a distance, suddenly raised one corner of her mouth.
* * *
In the guild master’s office of the guild.
Seong Jihan welcomed two players from American First.
‘Sofia is here too.’
Sofia, the Holy Maiden.
She, who had been quite a nuisance to Seong Jihan in his previous life, was now looking at him with sparkling eyes, seemingly interested in him again.
In contrast, Baron, standing beside her, looked displeased.
His face was flushed, and he smelled of alcohol.
‘That drunk, he’s drunk again.’
Seong Jihan extended his hand to greet them.
“It’s nice to meet you like this.”
“I’m Baron.”
Baron shook hands with Seong Jihan briefly and pulled his hand away.
“I’m Sofia. I’ve been watching your streams. I’m a fan.”
“Thank you for saying so.”
“How can you be so strong? You’re the best I’ve ever seen!”
“You flatter me.”
“To be honest, I liked Sword King Yun among the warriors… but I didn’t expect a player with even greater potential to appear. Is Korea the land of warriors?”
“Sword King is in Japan now.”
“But his roots are here, right?”
Sofia, holding Seong Jihan’s hand with both of hers, was speaking enthusiastically.
“Your English is really good, though?”
“Koreans usually learn English.”
“Still, you speak it so well. Your pronunciation is great, and you’re much handsomer in person… and taller.”
“Thank you.”
Sofia showered him with praise, making him feel a bit embarrassed.
Baron, standing beside her, couldn’t stand it any longer.
“Sofia, stop it. Do you think this is a fan signing event?”
“Oh, but that’s why I came! I watched your stream on the way here. Ah, Seong! Can I call you Jihan?”
“…Sure.”
“Wow, thank you, Jihan! Then, an autograph too!”
Sofia, still holding Seong Jihan’s hand, screamed like a teenage fan.
Baron’s expression twisted even more.
How long did he have to watch this?
“Huh… Master, let’s proceed with the lease.”
“Oh, right. I understand.”
I-hyeon, who had been looking at Sofia curiously, snapped back to reality at Baron’s weak voice.
“Master, your English is also good?”
“I studied abroad when I was young.”
“Hehe… No need for an interpreter.”
Sofia glanced at the interpreter provided by American First and tried to continue the conversation in a friendly manner.
However,
“Sofia! Stop chitchatting.”
“Oh, okay. Really.”
Baron, with a fierce expression, urged her to stop, and she finally ceased the conversation and proceeded with the lease.
After leaving American First and joining the guild, the two of them
“This is the buff effect….”
“Wow, this is the growth rate buff I’ve only heard about?”
Their eyes lit up as they saw the guild buff effect they received immediately upon joining.
The additional all-stats effect they had received while in American First was gone,
but they could rejoin later to enjoy that effect.
For now, they needed to focus on the growth rate buff to boost their stat growth.
“It would have been better if the guild master had come to the U.S.”
Baron, looking satisfied at the buff, frowned as he thought about the long flight back.
This would mean he couldn’t play Battle.net for two days!
“Oh, why? I think it’s great to come and meet Jihan!”
“Hmph…! Why did you refuse to come to the U.S. on a business trip? I heard Robert promised a lot of compensation.”
In response to Baron’s question, Seong Jihan stepped in instead of I-hyeon.
“Once the guild master leaves the country, other guilds will also make similar demands. The guild master is the center of the guild. It’s not ideal to travel around like that.”
The amount of compensation offered by American First was tempting, but the core of the guild was I-hyeon, who possessed the supporting Gift.
It was more important to protect her abilities here than to risk exposing them by traveling.
Baron, unaware of these circumstances, sneered and interpreted Seong Jihan’s words in his own way.
“Is that really the case? It’s not to keep an eye on me?”
“…?”
Seong Jihan was taken aback.
Keep an eye on him? Who on whom?
“Baron, you mean I’m keeping an eye on you?”
“Yes.”
“Why would I… keep an eye on you?”
Seong Jihan shrugged, genuinely puzzled.
“The player I killed in one hit. Why…?”
“Ugh. That, that was… a mistake!”
“No, that wasn’t a mistake. Baron, it was due to your lack of ability.”
Seong Jihan stated this firmly, raising one corner of his mouth.
“Welcome to the guild, Baron. I hope you grow enough to become a player I need to keep an eye on.”
“Ugh….”
“You’ll be embarrassed by today’s conversation when you sober up.”
“…I’m leaving!”
Baron, with a red face, stormed out of the guild master’s office.
He had said something unnecessary and was leaving without gaining anything.
“Really, he’s just full of pride….”
Sofia, shaking her head at Baron,
“Jihan~ See you later~!”
waved goodbye to Seong Jihan with a smile and followed Baron out.
* * *
Joo Eunji, working in the video team, glanced at the guild master’s office.
‘The ability that worked on the Sword King… doesn’t work on him either?’
She was a player known as ‘Goddess’ in Japan.
To find a way to contact Seong Jihan, she had successfully infiltrated the guild under the name Joo Eunji.
Getting his autograph and making skin contact was a good start.
However,
[You do not have permission to approach this person.]
A message she had never seen before while using her Gift appeared.
‘My ability doesn’t work at all… this is the first time.’
She thought it would be boring because he was a Silver, but maybe she should have come as her main character instead of a clone?
‘Does the clone’s ability not work on SSS-grade Gifts?’
Joo Eunji, assuming Seong Jihan had an SSS-grade Gift,
huffed and noticed Baron leaving the office.
‘That guy is also SSS-grade, right?’
Baron Williams.
Before Seong Jihan rose to prominence, he was Joo Eunji’s next target.
After identifying Baron’s route,
she picked up a stack of papers and stood up.
She then deliberately planned her path to bump into him.
“Be careful…!”
Sofia, following behind Baron, called out urgently,
Thud!
“What the…?”
“Ouch….”
Joo Eunji, bumping into Baron, was pushed away.
“What the fuck….”
Baron, about to curse at the person who bumped into him,
“Ouch… I’m sorry… Ah, I’m sorry….”
blinked at Joo Eunji, who apologized awkwardly in English.
“Baron, you should apologize too. Watch where you’re going!”
“Ugh….”
Baron, seemingly not hearing Sofia’s reprimand,
stared intently at Joo Eunji’s face.
“I’m sorry….”
While apologizing with his mouth,
his eyes continued to follow Joo Eunji’s face.
“Oh, I’m okay. Sorry, sorry…!”
As Joo Eunji hurriedly organized the papers and left,
Baron stared blankly at her retreating back.
This feeling… what is it?
‘Why am I reacting to such an ordinary-looking East Asian…?’
“What are you doing?”
“…Nothing. Let’s go.”
Baron, heading for the elevator after Sofia’s reprimand,
kept glancing back.
Joo Eunji, pretending not to notice, focused on her work,
but a smile played on her lips.
‘Hmm… he’s reacting.’
It seems his SSS-grade status isn’t the reason his ability doesn’t work.
‘Then, does Seong Jihan have some other special ability? Still… I’ll make you mine soon enough.’
Although she had failed once,
Joo Eunji was confident.