Chapter 27 of 100
Chapter 27
7 min read1,718 words
<Chapter 27: The Martial God Who Regressed to Level 2>
* * *
He had clearly returned to the tower after dealing with around 920 of them, yet suddenly, the quest was completed.
‘What’s going on?’
Seong Jihan looked down at the base of the tower.
Specifically, the spot where he had used the Thousand Lightning Steps.
‘Is it because of that?’
The Thousand Lightning Steps, the ultimate movement technique that transforms the body into lightning to leap vast distances in a single bound, was characterized by explosive currents of electricity before the feet left the ground.
However, some of those currents still lingered on the ground he had passed through.
Seong Jihan frowned at the sight.
‘This happened because the technique wasn’t perfectly executed.’
Originally, the currents that spread out into the ground when the feet left the ground should have all converged back to him.
But because he had used the unnamed martial technique through the dantian rather than as a skill, the power that had extended into the ground did not fully converge.
‘I need more time to practice.’
Thanks to this, he had completed the linked quest, but from a martial artist’s perspective, it was merely a stroke of unexpected luck.
Seong Jihan felt his own inadequacy and waited for the next linked quest.
[You have earned 3,000 achievement points as a reward.]
[The linked quest continues to the Origin of the Zombies (2).]
Rumble—
The ground shook violently, and the zombies, which had been relentlessly advancing, suddenly stopped moving.
Grrr... Ooo...
The zombie voices that had been echoing across the battlefield abruptly cut off.
A profound silence descended over the land beyond the tower.
This was not just the case with Seong Jihan’s tower; the same situation was happening with the other towers.
The viewers watching the broadcast were thrown into confusion.
-????? What’s going on?
-This is the first time I’ve seen something like this in the zombie map.
-Is it a bug?
-Is it Battle.net? If it’s real, it’s a historic event, isn’t it??
At that moment.
Crack!
The ground split open, and a massive hand suddenly burst out.
Each finger was almost as tall as the tower, a hand made of black steel.
Soon, a human mouth appeared in the center of the palm and began to emit a piercing scream that echoed across the entire battlefield.
Roar!
“...Roar!”
“Just what is this...”
The sound was so chilling that it made the players participating in the game and the viewers watching it shiver.
Then.
The zombies began to be sucked into the massive hand.
Crunch! Crunch!
The hand crushed and kneaded the zombies, and the bones and flesh separated, making terrifying sounds as they fell to the ground.
The fragments of the fallen zombies gathered back to the black hand, gradually forming a massive shape.
Before long, the black hand had created ‘something.’
“No... That’s...”
BJ Gold’s voice trembled.
A monstrous creature made of a mixture of blood, flesh, and bones.
“Flash Golem?! A monster that only appears in the Gold tier, why is it here?”
The grotesque appearance, made from the haphazard mixing of zombie fragments, made it seem unreal.
And it wasn’t just one.
Crunch! Crunch!
The black hand created a total of seven Flash Golems.
Creak! Creak!
It emitted a bizarre laugh and then disappeared back into the ground.
[You have cleared the Defense Map, ‘Ten Towers.’]
[A bonus mission has been unlocked.]
The Bronze-exclusive map, Ten Towers.
Despite only seven towers remaining, a message appeared stating that all towers had completed the mission.
-Bonus mission?
-Is there such a thing in the Bronze map?
[Stop the advance of the Flash Golems created by the Herald of Destruction, ‘Black Hand.’ You can narrow the power gap using the Crystal’s blessing!]
Reward - 3 times the experience and GP upon mission completion.
The reward for the bonus mission was simple.
Three times the original reward.
‘The Crystal gives a blessing?’
‘Then... is it doable?’
Since the mission was already marked as completed, the bonus mission could be attempted without much pressure.
As the players prepared themselves for the battle, a different quest message appeared for Seong Jihan.
[Linked Quest - Origin of the Zombies (2)]
Defeat the Flash Golems without the help of the Crystal.
Reward - 10,000 achievement points / Crystal fragment
Defeat the Flash Golems without the help of the Crystal?
Seong Jihan snorted in disbelief at the mission.
Is this mission designed to be completed?
‘That’s why the reward includes a Crystal fragment.’ The only epic quests that added rewards beyond achievement points were those related to the survival map.
Seong Jihan looked at the approaching Flash Golems.
Thud, thud, thud.
The seven Flash Golems created by the black hand quickly walked towards the seven towers.
With each step, fragments of what were once humans fell, a sight that was revolting even upon repeated viewing.
Meanwhile, BJ Gold, impressed by the Flash Golems, approached Seong Jihan.
“Wow... Even at a glance, they don’t look easy to handle. Mr. Seong Jihan, please receive the buff quickly.”
“...”
Seong Jihan remained silent, his eyes fixed on the Flash Golems.
This silence led the viewers to make various speculations.
-Seong Jihan is scared, I bet on it. 😂
-Didn’t he say he would reveal his status if he doesn’t come in first?
-Is he going to engrave something? ??????
-How can a Bronze player defeat a Gold-tier mini-boss? This is an exception. -Already defending him. 😂😂😂
The viewers’ thoughts were correct.
Even with the Crystal’s buff, could he really subdue those massive monsters?
It would be difficult.
‘Even for Mr. Seong Jihan, this might be too much.’
Perhaps Seong Jihan was preparing to die.
Gold, following his lead, also prepared to die.
If there was any ambition left, it was to leave a good video as a broadcaster.
As BJ Gold was sorting out his thoughts, Seong Jihan spoke in a low voice.
“The buff is fine.”
“...What?”
In response to Gold’s words, Seong Jihan briefly answered and drew power from his dantian.
* * *
Flash Golem.
A powerful monster that even Gold-tier players find difficult to defeat alone if their level is insufficient.
Additionally, as an undead monster, it has the property of regenerating unless its core, located in the center of its body, is destroyed.
The fragments of corpses embedded in its body are particularly troublesome, which is why each individual is considered a mini-boss.
Although Seong Jihan was a player who had transcended the Bronze tier, it was still a challenge to face the Flash Golems.
‘If I couldn’t use the unnamed martial technique again, it would have been impossible.’
But now, even if not perfect, he could use the technique.
He could kill them.
Crackle—
White currents of electricity spread from Seong Jihan’s feet.
The violent momentum made BJ Gold, who was standing nearby, quickly step aside.
“This is...?”
“I will handle it alone.”
Unnamed Martial Technique
Movement Technique
Thousand Lightning Steps
As Seong Jihan took a step, a deep footprint was left on the tower.
Whoosh—
His body disappeared, becoming a flash of light.
“Eh, eh?!”
BJ Gold looked around in confusion and then was shocked.
Seong Jihan was already floating above the head of the Flash Golem approaching the tower.
Even Gold, who was once a Gold Rigger, couldn’t detect his movement, a technique of superhuman speed.
Seong Jihan, standing on the head of the Flash Golem, raised his True Demon Sword high.
‘Although I gained a class and support abilities after obtaining the Force, they are all means to become stronger.’
Seong Jihan’s essence was always that of a martial artist.
He condensed the energy from his dantian into the True Demon Sword.
Crack—
His body ached as if being squeezed, likely due to the consecutive use of the unnamed martial technique, which he hadn’t fully mastered.
‘This much is fine.’
Seong Jihan endured the pain and unleashed the technique.
Unnamed Martial Technique
Three Talents Supreme Martial Technique
Mount Tai Pressing Down
Three Talents Supreme Martial Technique.
This technique, inspired by heaven, earth, and humanity, is essentially the foundation of the unnamed martial technique, despite its grand name.
Heaven cuts vertically, earth cuts horizontally, and humanity pierces.
It is the most basic of basics.
The lowest of the low.
Yet, it is the foundation of the unnamed martial technique.
The Three Talents Supreme Martial Technique follows this principle.
The Mount Tai Pressing Down, which Seong Jihan performed, was simple in form.
Despite its grand name, it was merely a vertical cut.
However, when executed to its extreme, the story changes.
Swish!
As he brought down the True Demon Sword, the giant’s step towards the tower came to an abrupt halt.
Although the single swing might seem as insignificant as a bug’s bite compared to the size of the golem,
the golem couldn’t take another step.
And soon.
Crack!
From the head to the lower body, the Flash Golem’s entire body split in half.
Not only the mass of flesh made of countless corpses but also the heart, the core of the Flash Golem, was cut in two.
After Seong Jihan landed on the ground,
Rumble—
The ground split.
A strike that not only cut through the giant but also left a scar on the ground, reaching the pinnacle of martial arts.
This was the Three Talents Supreme Martial Technique, Mount Tai Pressing Down.
* * *
Seong Jihan’s expression was not entirely satisfied.
‘The control of power is still not free.’
He should have only cut the Flash Golem, but the force’s aftereffects reached the ground below.
It was an imperfect Mount Tai Pressing Down.
However, this was something only he knew.
“...”
Behind Seong Jihan, a cold silence fell.
Thud. Roll—
Mashid dropped the ball he was dribbling.
“Eh... eh.”
BJ Gold lost his focus.
‘What did I just see?’
Seong Jihan’s single strike.
It was a simple movement.
Just a downward cut, relying on gravity, wasn’t it?
Rather, the incredible movement technique he used to ascend like lightning was even more astonishing.
But.
The result of his strike was on a scale that made even that forgettable.
As the light gathered on Seong Jihan’s True Demon Sword and struck the Flash Golem,
BJ Gold felt as if he