The Martial God who Regressed Back to Level 2 Novel

* * *

Guild Office.

Yi Ha-yeon greeted Sung JiHan, who came to the office with an excited face.

"Owner. The guild effect suddenly changed! All the options have increased by 4 levels... Did you do something?"

"Yes. I received guild-related items as compensation for the previous incident from Battle.net."

"Ah!"

Yi Ha-yeon's eyes sparkled.

"Now we can accept 20 more guild members. Should we rent them right away?"

"Since the growth rate increase effect has also increased, let's charge an additional fee."

With the guild member expansion level increased, the Waiting Guild could now accept 20 more members.

With the increased stat boost and growth rate increase effect, they could now charge a higher rent and bring in more players.

"Understood. Let's start by pricing it at 7 billion, and we'll proceed with an auction."

"All twenty slots?"

"Hehe... Well, there were quite a few players who saw the effect among the players who rented, so the word got out."

Players who rented by paying a hefty rent like Baeran or Wang Lin, Sophia, were experiencing considerable effects.

Through the growth rate buff, they gained additional stats ranging from +2 to +4.

As the word spread, famous guilds were already offering additional fees, so the inquiries to accept our players didn't stop.

"High-ranking players are also showing interest."

"If they're high-ranking, how high are they?"

"Diamond rank."

Sung JiHan was slightly surprised.

If they were diamond rank, weren't they top league players?

To win the fierce competition in the Diamond League, the All Stats Additional Effect among the guild options was essential.

Are they giving up on that and coming to the Waiting Guild?

"Is it okay not to fully enjoy the All Stats effect?"

"Yes, yes. They said they can withstand the league even without the All Stats effect and they want to enjoy the growth rate buff."

To withstand the Diamond League without the All Stats effect, they needed to have a unique gift.

At that level, they should be at least capable of dominating the league.

"At this rate, the first-generation rankers might gather in the Waiting Guild."

First-generation rankers.

Sung JiHan didn't know much about them except for Geomwang.

That was because, after the tutorial ended and the Space League opened, most of them died within a year.

"They were the culprits who almost wiped out the World Tree Union."

The elves were the culprits who almost wiped out the first-generation rankers.

Since the vacancies left by the rankers who died at that time were so large, Earth suffered consecutive defeats until the second-generation rankers, who wished for Baeran, rose.

After a long period of hardship.

After the second-generation rankers grew up, scenes of them being helplessly defeated no longer appeared.

However, Earth, which had suffered too many defeats, still couldn't escape from the bottom of the league.

"This time, we have to keep the first-generation rankers alive as much as possible."

To do that, there was a need to accept not only promising rookies but also rankers who were not.

Even if they were diamond rankers, depending on the case, they had the potential to grow.

"If diamond players are coming, please accept as many as possible."

"Understood. Owner, then what about the auction schedule...?"

"I'll leave it to Ha-yeon. I have something to do."

"Ah. Are you going on a date with Sophia?"

Yi Ha-yeon said with a slightly teasing look.

"It would be nice~ I work day and night without a break... and the owner goes on a date with a blonde beauty~"

Yi Ha-yeon openly jeered.

Sung JiHan had a trump card that would shut her mouth.

"You did a lot of work, but you made a lot of money, didn't you? You hit the jackpot this time, right?"

"Well, what is it?"

"I picked it for you."

Sung JiHan already knew that Lee Ha-yeon hadn't bet on herself.

Sung JiHan pretended not to know, acting clueless.

"Oh. Oh~? Betting, you mean? Ah. Well... that's right, isn't it? Hahaha!"

Lee Ha-yeon quickly changed the subject, avoiding eye contact.

"More importantly, Owner! I keep getting calls from the Battle.net management department. Please give me a commendation... please..."

"Are they still at it?"

"Yes. They even gave me the option to choose the date. The new director really wants to meet you... I've been begging and pleading. I even sent a message saying I'll wait until you come today."

If they were willing to accommodate the date, she could make use of the time before entering the Gold League.

But Sung JiHan wondered if it was necessary to go and receive a commendation.

"I should talk about using the penthouse more during this opportunity."

The most important thing now was for Yoon Se-ah to safely spend time until October 25th, when she becomes a Gold League player.

Being in the penthouse of Sword Palace, where security was thorough, had its advantages in many ways.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to participate in such an event to also request security personnel from the government.

"Understood. Please let them know that I will attend the commendation ceremony. Tell them that any day is fine for me, and to call me at a convenient time."

"Oh. Really?! Yes! I'll let them know right away!"

Lee Ha-yeon's face quickly brightened, showing how much she had struggled with the new management director.

While Sung JiHan and Lee Ha-yeon were discussing guild-related matters,

Buzz-

Lee Ha-yeon's phone rang.

"Oh. Sofia. Have you landed? You don't know the Owner's phone number?"

No, wasn't it already arranged in advance?

How could she not know the number?

"Can you tell me?"

Lee Ha-yeon whispered secretly to Sung JiHan, taking her face off the phone, and he shrugged his shoulders.

"I didn't tell you so easily before."

"I really couldn't remember the phone number back then."

"You're still talking about that...!"

Lee Ha-yeon still didn't believe Sung JiHan's truth.

Was it even possible for someone to not know their own phone number?

Her reaction was perfectly sensible.

"Sofia. The number is..."

After Lee Ha-yeon told Sofia the number, she hung up and looked at Sung JiHan.

"Where are you going?"

"Let's go to a restaurant in a nearby hotel."

"Ah. We came all the way to Korea, we should go to a restaurant that can only be found here!"

"Then let's go to the hotel's traditional Korean restaurant next door."

Sung JiHan had no intention of going far.

Since there was a top-class hotel right next to Sword Palace, they decided to go to the traditional Korean restaurant there.

"I like it there too."

"Is it delicious?"

"Huh? Haven't you been there?"

"I don't remember."

"...."

Why do people remember ghosts in Battle.net, but not things like this?

"It's really delicious. Owner, you should treat me to a meal there too, shouldn't you?"

"If Ha-yeon made money, shouldn't she treat me to a meal?"

"...Well, that's right. I didn't lose thanks to you. So there!"

I didn't lose.

Although I didn't bet on Sung JiHan, it was an expression that I could use because I didn't end up penniless and even received Battle.net rewards.

Sung JiHan smirked.

"It's fine. Let's go to the guild gathering next time to celebrate."

"No, flea... um, I mean, I'm the daughter of the Seongga family."

"If you keep betting, even if you say you're the daughter of the Gates family, you'll still be a flea."

"...What? You didn't tell the owner, did you?"

"Of course I did. Someone who would brag if they won would stay quiet."

Seong JiHan scratched his cheek, avoiding Ha Yeon's gaze.

"Ah... well, you see. I trust the owner, but... with the variable called the system... based on my professional judgment..."

"Go Yeon is laughing behind you."

"Ah, why!"

"I also laughed unintentionally at 'professional.' I'm sorry."

"Hey!"

"And thank you, Sung JiHan. Thanks to you, I earned enough money to retire."

Im Ga Yeong, who had been quiet all this time, bowed deeply to Sung JiHan.

It was a sincere expression of gratitude.

"You. When did you bet?"

"Miss, I realized it too late. If I had bet against you, the money would have been duplicated."

"Well, well..."

"But I realized it late and earned retirement funds. Thank you, Miss. I'll still work though."

"You... wow..."

Ha Yeon was speechless at Im Ga Yeong's opposing bet.

"You two resolve it yourselves then."

Sung JiHan stepped back, giving them space.

And not long after.

Ring ring-

A call came from an unfamiliar number on the phone.

"Hello?"

[ JiHan! I'm here! ]

It was Sophia's call.

* * *

A traditional Korean restaurant in Gangnam.

"Oh, your niece is here too? Great~!"

At first, Sophia showed a lukewarm reaction when she saw Yoon SeA, but...

"SeA, how do I eat this?"

"Oh, you just wrap it like this and eat it."

"I see. It's delicious!"

The two friends of the same age were now happily playing together.

After the meal was almost finished, Sophia opened her mouth with a bright smile.

"JiHan! So, aren't you curious about the story I told you last time?"

It was a story related to the extraterrestrial relic.

Although Sung JiHan had heard it in great detail from Sophia in his previous life, he pretended not to know and asked.

"I am curious. But I didn't expect you to come to Korea to tell me. You didn't even give me a heads up."

"Hehe~ Wasn't that a promise we made in the game?"

Sophia stuck out her tongue and then spoke with a serious face.

"This is a secret. SeA, you know too, right?"

"Yeah. The reason you didn't allocate stat points? What is it, what is it?"

"It's about Battle.net. There's something called an extraterrestrial relic..."

As if revealing a highly important secret, Sofia spoke in a lowered voice about the extraterrestrial relic.

Sung JiHan pretended to listen, knowing everything already.

"Wow. Really? So you can gain divine power like that!"

Meanwhile, Yoon SeA was making all sorts of sarcastic remarks.

Seeing Sung JiHan's lack of reaction, Sofia became curious and asked.

"But Uncle, aren't you surprised at all?"

"Oh. I already knew. About the extraterrestrial relic."

"Oh my. Really? Ah, that makes sense... I saw an old video where you were holding a strange weapon. Was that perhaps the extraterrestrial relic?"

He said he had looked for it before.

Sung JiHan nodded.

"If you're talking about the video from the Bronze Age, then yes."

"I see... That's why! My brother said it seemed like JiHan was holding the extraterrestrial relic."

"If it's your brother, could it be Christoph, the ESPN commentator?"

"Yes, that's right. I was watching a video of JiHan and he was commenting next to me."

Christoph, the ESPN commentator.

During Sung JiHan-related broadcasts, he was known for saying "Well...." a lot.

But in reality, he was highly regarded as an expert commentator in the industry.

He said that even if he failed in his commentary because of JiHan, he would analyze JiHan meticulously if he ever used a gift.

"A gift? Christoph, the commentator, was also a player?"

"Oh. That... Can't I tell you somewhere else?"

Was he only saying that to Sung JiHan or was it his usual way of speaking?

Sofia easily revealed the secret that should have been kept.

"Our brother. He has a supporting gift."

"A supporting gift? What kind?"

"Oh. That... It's 'Exploration'."

She brought her finger to her lips as she said that.

"You really can't talk about this anywhere else? I don't know why, but my brother didn't want to tell others that he has a supporting gift. He only told JiHan and SeA! It's a secret!"

"Did you tell anyone else besides us?"

"Um... Diana, Jane, and Emma..."

As she said that, Sofia continued to fold her finger.

"You told a lot of people. Is it still a secret?"

"They can keep a secret! It'll be fine!"

Sofia had no concept of secrets.

Sung JiHan immediately asked a question.

"That aside, about 'Exploration'... Do you know what abilities it has?"

"He didn't tell me about that. He said I shouldn't tell you. Hmph! But other than being able to see the names of items clearly, I don't know what it's used for. Oh, my brother got angry at me once when he was drinking."

"What grade is the gift?"

"For me? It's SS!"

"...No. I mean Christoph's grade."

"Oh. It was... B, I think."

With a confused expression, Sofia laughed and tried to provide as much information as she knew.

Hearing this, Sung JiHan recalled the story he heard from Ariel last time.

-It's incomprehensible. Even in this world, there will be dungeon portals. To get rid of them, don't we need a player with the 'Exploration' gift?

The supporting gift 'Exploration'.

At the moment, it seemed like a completely useless ability.

But in reality, it was a gift that became the key to eliminating dungeon portals.

If he had known that Exploration had such a function, his previous life on Earth wouldn't have ended so miserably.

"Of all things, Christoph had it... the important thing."

He unexpectedly obtained tremendous information in an unexpected place.