Level 0 Master

"Not yet!"

The light from Sungjin's chest shone bright once more.

Ereka kissed Sungjin on his lips deeply, and, according to the kiss, her life force floated out of her and into Sungjin.

But, like Sungjin, a similar circle appeared on her chest.

"Ha. To share your life force. Is your relationship that deep?" Varka shook his head, impressed. "But he has the fate of a wingless eagle on a leash, so what's the point?"

Sungjin's spirit had been erased with his memories, and he had been reduced to stupidity, that the best he could do was beg for some wine. Even if he had once been an eagle soaring across the sky, he was now simply a chicken in a chicken coop who could only beg for the feed from the jailor's hand.

It was the aftermath of a person who had risen to a position that was not his.

"There will be losses as well as victories, but it is true strength to overcome turbulent times. I trust Sungjin. He only needs some time. I will buy that time for him."

"Do as you wish, and despair accordingly."

"I will not give up." Sungjin. I believe in you. Ereka grabbed Sungjin's hands. She trusted him. There was no reason to. There was no proof to. She simply trusted him because she loved him, so her duty was to protect Sungjin's body until he returned.

She deeply pressed her lips onto Sungjin's one more time. I'll share my life force with you.

A body without a soul was bound to dry up without the means to produce its own energy. The only way to keep the body alive in its vegetative state was to share the life force of another continuously. She would protect his body until he returned.

Sungjin's soulless body greedily reacted to Ereka's body with the goal of fulfilling his emptiness by deepening the kiss between them. Lips clashed against lips. Sungjin's tongue sought her body. Two hands grasped onto her while he tried to suck out her tongue.

Ereka opened herself up without reluctance and gave away all of her life energy as needed. I had hoped for a romantic first kiss, but… Ereka smiled calmly despite the tears dripping down her face. She had imagined that her first kiss with Sungjin would be more romantic and more passionate while locked in an embrace.

This wasn't the kiss she had dreamed of. It was a kiss shared with a soulless body.

Sungjin, I'll be waiting.

"You're delusional," Varka said. He was confident that everything was done and over with.

The scene before him was simply confusion brought on by disbelief and reluctance to accept the facts.

Chapter 3

Sungjin was stabilized. He was no longer tormented by pain.

Days of completing the work given, following orders, and being satisfied by the daily achievements, continued.

Ereka's faith wavered, and she found herself reaching her limit. Even if she had a high level, there was a limit to her ability to maintain the optimal body.

Varka declared solemnly. "It's soon."

Timeout.

The once majestic eagle was now a broken-winged chicken. The once roaring lion was now a well-trained cat from pain and rewards.

There was only one light left in Ereka's chest.

"You've proved your dedication. No one will deny that you've kept your faith. What would be the point in bringing about your own death? Give up."

At Varka's words, Ereka looked at Sungjin. She had waited for a long time and had burned out her own life, but Sungjin hadn't moved at all. Even if she were to add the last light in her chest, it was likely that nothing would change. Ereka acknowledged Varka's words. "I see. That's true." She had done her duty.

Others would have said the same thing. Any other lover would have said that she had been a dedicated woman.

"Yes. Now stop."

"Yes. You're right." Ereka hugged Sungjin's lifeless body closer to herself. "That's why, from now on, my choice has nothing to do with duty."

"What?"

"From now on, my love will be the cause of my sacrifice."

She may not be repaid. Perhaps Sungjin had been truly consumed by the enemy's grand world and would never return. Even still… "It is my wish to give him even the smallest opportunity by burning up my life force." Ereka moved her last life force into Sungjin.

It wasn't morality. Or duty. It was simply… her desire to give her last to Sungjin.

Sungjin…

Her confidence wavered at Varka's words that he'd never return. She was anxious that nothing would happen, even after burning out her last life force.

Still… If it was for Sungjin, she wouldn't mind giving her last. She wouldn't mind, but…

Sungjin… Please… Wake up.

Sungjin surveyed the area he had been assigned to. Today's plan to gather the largest amount of soma would be…

It was then that a strange event interrupted the peaceful and orderly quietness of the city.

A large siren roared.

Unidentified chip. Scanning.

Unidentified chip. Arresting.

Beep. Beep.

Sungjin's eyes went toward the source of the siren and were immediately captivated by the sight before him.

The scene was so beautiful that he forgot all about gathering soma.

Her black hair, which was pinned up, possessed a calming shine. Her skin was soft and silken. Skin sweeter than the ripest peach flowed from the top of her body to the bottom. Her clothes, which were of oriental design and made with silk, looked pretty regardless of the time or age because of its grand design. She looked like an angel playing the pipa as she walked.

She was beautiful.

Sungjin silently observed her. She also had something else to her beauty.

If that was the only thing she had, she would have been simply beautiful.

She…

Was fighting.

Robots armed with stun guns rushed toward her in masses. Her body looked so frail it seemed as if it would break apart with a single shot.

And what could a woman with a pipa do? But she did do something.

Her thin fingers thrummed against the pipa. The heavens rang, and the air vibrated as the robot's arm came down.

Has she used the sound as a weapon? Even from afar, his brain had begun to calculate the possibility. Who is she?

Her fingers flew more quickly, and the following music flapped its wings vibrantly. The robots that were following the sound broke one by one.

"Leave! Dogs of Varka! I will never quail!"

Sungjin swallowed his surprise at her words. She will be punished for saying that. Doesn't she fear pain? How could she say that?

But she didn't stop and instead cut across the multitude of robots before her with her pipa.

Her body was frail, but her fighting was amazing. She had an invisible sword whose strikes could not be seen.

She's pretty.

Her steps, which cut across the bodies of the robots, flowed beautifully alongside her music, as if she were only taking a walk. Her feet moved simply and delicately, but she had miraculously avoided all the attacks.

She's predicting the enemy's movements… No, she's guiding their attacks. Sungjin saw through her movements. Amazing.

But… it could be disrupted. If she kept moving like that, the enemy could read her movements instead, and if they ever came up with a trap… but the robot could not make such calculations. It only ran forward with more numbers on its side.

But that was also working.

Over one dead robot, two more appeared.

More was better than less.

She could avoid and attack, but she finally reached her limit against the waves of robots.

Pzzt.

The stun gun hit her squarely. "Ah!" Her entire body shook in pain. "Stand back!" She ripped out all of her strings at once.

[Vibrate Through All]

With a circular impact, tens of robots were crushed.

It was a strength that was impressive to see.

But right after, she panted in pain.

In that moment, robots attacked once more.

"Ahh!"

Stun guns pinned her down, and her elegant stance crumbled under its pressure.

How unfortunate.

The scene of violence against one person was wrong.

Arrest complete.

Return to position.

Adding new chip.

Several robots returned to their position and only a few remained to arrest her.

"You foolish things… Who dares… I… I refuse… To be the slave… of some chips… I will remain a free person…" the girl murmured, but the robot steadily held onto her.

The robot pressed down on her thin body without her consent, and she shook. She wouldn't be able to fight back no matter what she tried. A robot approached from far away with a chip in hand.

Can they do that even if she refuses? Sungjin questioned the sight before him.

The chip blessed them with soma, but at the same time, it punished them when they didn't follow orders.

The beautiful girl was refusing it. It could be foolish considering the wisdom the Soma grants.

But… that was one's decision and freedom. Wasn't it a violation of privacy to force it on her? Should she be punished for refusing it? She had not hurt anyone, but had simply stood up for herself. Weren't the region's robots at fault?

Pzzt.

Argh.

Pain overwhelmed his mind.

Cease those thoughts.

Everything is granted under the wisdom of our ruler.

The ruler is always correct.

The voice inside his head told him how to avoid the pain. And Sungjin's brain was trained to react in a certain way towards these kinds of situations. There was no need to suspect the region's lord. He blamed himself for doubting the ruler. His actions all had a reason and purpose. The girl would be blessed to receive the blessing of the soma through that chip.

I should return to my station and work. And as soon as he thought that, soma spread throughout his body. The wrong was righted and the good was rewarded. He was satisfied by the simmering pleasure running through his body.

…

It was meant to be so, as long as he did as the chip ordered, but this time, Sungjin refused to avoid the pain, even though it was painful. His questions could not be stopped, even if he didn't receive pleasure, and even if the pain grew stronger.

Even if he didn't get the "answer" within him, he couldn't pretend to ignore the sight.

If injustice was happening before his eyes, he had to observe it. It was his instinct soaring beyond the brainwashing of the chips that had been implanted.

The girl refused the chip, and, to such a girl, the robot had violently tried to force the chip on her. In the meantime, she was hurt and her opinion was rejected. Was that right?

Don't think about it.

Grip.

No, he had to think, no matter how sick it made him.

Did the girl really get punished? Could one just claim one's freedom? Could it be trampled on?

Gasp. No. If something wrong was happening, should he turn away to avoid the pain? That shouldn't be. Above all, the girl reminded him of something in many ways.

Remember…

Who?

Someone he wanted to protect… Girls?

Girls?

Who?