Chapter 30

<Chapter 30: The God of Battle Who Regressed to Level 2>

* * *

The journey to BattleNet Academy was not smooth from the school entrance.

"…How did you get here?"

At the main gate, a security guard blocked a compact car.

The guard looked at the car with a suspicious eye.

"Excuse me, I'm a student here."

"Oh, you must be Yoon Seo-a. This car isn't registered in the database. Would you like to register it?"

"Yes."

"Understood. Please proceed."

When Yoon Seo-a showed her student ID, the guard registered the car's license plate and let her in.

"Huh, what's a Loening doing at the Academy?"

"That's Yoon Seo-a. She really seems to be down and out. Who's next to her?"

"That uncle. The one who broke the dual swords."

"Oh~!"

Behind the open car window, the guards were whispering to each other.

"Uncle, this way is fine."

Surely, Yoon Seo-a must have heard those words, but she pretended not to and smiled, guiding Sung Ji-han to the Academy's underground parking lot.

The underground parking lot was as spacious as the Sword Palace's.

There was plenty of room for each car, and the occasional parked vehicles were all top-of-the-line foreign cars.

While it's often said that in Gangnam, there are more foreign cars than domestic ones,

'There's not a single domestic car here.'

In fact, with all the surrounding cars being foreign, the car driving through the parking lot stood out even more.

"Over there… let's park next to the elevator."

"Number 17?"

"Yeah, I usually park here."

It was a spot on the first underground level, next to the elevator.

Squeak—

After parking, Sung Ji-han asked nonchalantly.

"When does your class end?"

"Hmm… around 3 PM? Do you want to pick me up?"

"That's fine. I can stay here. I'll play a round of BattleNet."

"Come on, go home. It's inconvenient for you. What about lunch?"

If he plays a round of BattleNet and ponders about the Three Dan, time will pass quickly.

Sung Ji-han waved his hand at Yoon Seo-a, who was looking at him worriedly.

"Don't worry about me, miss."

"Still…"

If Sung Ji-han didn't wait here, Yoon Seo-a, with her personality, would take the bus back.

Then the purpose of bringing her here this morning would be lost.

"Keep in touch."

"Ugh, really…"

Seeing that persuasion was impossible, Yoon Seo-a shook her head and got out of the car.

Just as she was about to pass through the automatic doors to take the elevator,

Swoosh—

A luxury sedan stopped next to where Sung Ji-han had parked, and a bulky middle-aged man jumped out.

"Hey! Where do you think you're parking that piece of junk?"

The man, who seemed too intimidating to be a driver, shouted.

"Do you know where you are? Move your car right now!"

Is this the trouble Yoon Seo-a mentioned?

'I thought they might mock me from behind, but I didn't expect them to start a fight so openly.'

Sung Ji-han didn't feel the need to respond to those words.

Instead, he pointed at the middle-aged man's mouth with his index finger.

"Can't you get out? Who's in this car… Huh!?"

Suddenly, the driver's mouth stiffened.

It was due to Sung Ji-han's force.

Even though BattleNet's abilities are weakly applied in the real world, the force that dominates space was enough to seal a person's mouth.

"Ugh, ugh…"

The middle-aged man tried hard to speak, but his face turned red, and his jaw remained tightly shut as if glued.

Not only his mouth, but his body also wouldn't move.

'It, my body won't move!'

He couldn't move, as if trapped in concrete.

On the other hand, Sung Ji-han calmly waved at Yoon Seo-a.

"Go, Seo-a."

"Uncle… don't wait here. I think the student council work is piled up. I don't know when it will end. And with this…"

Yoon Seo-a glanced at the middle-aged man and said,

"This is just a minor issue. Don't worry, I'll handle it. Just text me when you're done."

"Ugh…"

Sung Ji-han didn't seem to have any intention of leaving.

Just as Yoon Seo-a sighed and wondered what to do,

Click—

The back door of the sedan opened, and a person got out.

"What's going on?"

A tall, slender girl appeared, arms crossed.

She had a haughty and cold expression, but when she saw Yoon Seo-a, she approached with a smile.

"Oh! Seo-a! Are you starting school now?"

"Yeah. It's been a while, Hee-soo."

Yoon Seo-a waved to her.

Kim Hee-soo.

Since Yoon Seo-a entered BattleNet Academy, they had become close friends.

Now, they were running for the student council president and vice president together.

"Your car changed?"

"Yeah. I decided to get the previous one repaired. But Seo-a…"

Kim Hee-soo glanced at the compact car Sung Ji-han had driven and looked worried.

"Where did your old cars go? Why are you driving such a car…?"

"Oh. My dad sold all the cars."

"…Wow. Really?"

When Yoon Seo-a spoke as if it was no big deal, Kim Hee-soo looked sympathetic.

"To think you're commuting in such a car… You'll probably attract a lot of attention. Do you want to come with me after school? I can drop you off at Sword Palace."

"Um, that's a bit embarrassing…"

"Among friends, what's the problem?"

When Kim Hee-soo smiled brightly, Yoon Seo-a looked at Sung Ji-han.

"Uncle, what should we do?"

Since a friend offered a ride home, there was no need to refuse.

'Seo-a's friends all cut ties after the Sword King went to Japan…'

The friends who tried to be close to Yoon Seo-a because of the Sword King all distanced themselves when he left for Japan.

The groups of high school girls who used to visit the penthouse no longer came.

Yoon Seo-a, who used to talk about her friends often, stopped mentioning them altogether at some point.

But now, there was a friend acting friendly at this time?

'I need to observe for a bit.'

Sung Ji-han thought and answered Yoon Seo-a's question.

"I'm fine either way."

"Hmm… then, Uncle, I'll take Hee-soo's car today! You can't keep waiting here, right?"

"Alright. I understand. Miss Hee-soo, right? Please take care of her."

When Sung Ji-han spoke to Kim Hee-soo, she nodded with a bright smile.

"Yes. Uncle Seo-a. But…"

"…?"

"Can you… release my driver?"

It seemed Kim Hee-soo knew about Sung Ji-han's abilities from watching his streams.

Snap.

When Sung Ji-han snapped his fingers, the driver, who couldn't move, collapsed.

"Huff… huff…"

Relief from being released was short-lived.

"Is it still a piece of junk?"

"No, no!"

The intimidating driver trembled and quickly backed away.

He didn't want to experience that again.

* * *

After leaving the parking lot and heading home,

'I need to start BattleNet as soon as I get home.'

Sung Ji-han's current goal was the August promotion match on August 25th.

If he consistently finishes first in every game, he can barely reach level 25.

He also had to set up a meeting with Mashid and research the survival map epic quest, so he had a lot to do.

Vroom—

The gate at the Academy's entrance opened.

Amid the guards' mocking gazes, Sung Ji-han's compact car drove out.

"Wow, it's impressive to bring such a car to BattleNet Academy."

"He's trying to make a statement, I guess."

Click.

One of the guards took a photo with his phone and posted it on social media.

Though it was a casual post,

-For the family of the Sword King to fall this far… commuting in a Loening.

└ Even if they've fallen, he's still worth 500 billion, right?

└ Doesn't seem like a class the guards should worry about.

└ Still, to come to BattleNet Academy in a Loening. Isn't he embarrassed? 😂

The photo quickly gained attention and soon became a news article.

And this

"Sung Ji-han has left Sword Palace."

Drew the attention of many guild officials.

* * *

[Loening passing through BattleNet Academy. Who's inside?]

A small photo article that appeared early in the morning.

Initially, it didn't attract much attention, but when it was revealed that the people inside were Sung Ji-han and Yoon Seo-a, it quickly became a hot topic.

The Sword King issue was still shaking Korea, making this possible.

-BattleNet Academy's semester tuition is 300 million, yet he's commuting in a Loening.

-Hasn't the Self-Defense Force deposited the money yet? What's with the Loening?

-Isn't it sponsored by Daehyun Group? The viral marketing is great.

└They wouldn't sponsor an old model.

Unlike the public, who treated it as gossip, Lee Ha-yeon, the deputy director of Rational Guild, was excited.

"Ga-young, we need to wait at the Academy parking lot early tomorrow."

"Understood."

Despite being rejected by Sung Ji-han just yesterday when she asked for his number,

Lee Ha-yeon was not discouraged and planned to push harder.

If you keep trying, even a stubborn tree will eventually fall.

'I need to recruit him before others do.'

Lee Ha-yeon recalled Sung Ji-han's performance in the game yesterday.

Not only did he solo the tower, but he also bisected the Flash Golem, a sub-boss that even Goldriggers struggle with.

'It was really insane…'

His unbelievable performance sparked heated debates in BattleNet-related communities.

-Did he get a buff to do that?

-There was no scene of him getting a buff.

-Come on, how could he do that without a buff? Even a Gold Warrior would struggle.

-He probably got a buff through telekinesis.

-Oh, that makes sense.

The debate over whether Sung Ji-han received a buff or not eventually concluded that

'Sung Ji-han received a crystal buff through telekinesis!'

Even in a game with no balance, it was unbelievable for a Bronze to bisect a Flash Golem bare-handed.

'Whether he got a buff or not, the fact that he one-shot the Flash Golem is what matters.'

Lee Ha-yeon checked Sung Ji-han's channel.