Chapter 36 of 100
Chapter 36
7 min read1,713 words
<Chapter 36: The God of Martial Arts Regressed to Level 2>
* * *
In the 7th underground level of the Conqueror's Mausoleum.
It was a vast chamber with a floor and walls adorned in gold.
‘I’ve arrived.’
Squish, squish, squish—
“Heal.”
Seong Jihan kindly used another heal on the party members who were being dragged along the ground.
He then looked at the large golden statue on the wall of the chamber.
The statue depicted a middle-aged man, sitting on a massive warhorse, with a serene expression and a magnificent bow in hand.
Despite being just a sculpture, it exuded a powerful charisma.
Before long, a majestic voice echoed throughout the chamber from the mouth of the golden statue.
Rumble—!
[Welcome, intruders.]
The voice seemed to welcome the intruders who had invaded the lowest level of the Conqueror's Mausoleum.
[Gold, in the end, is something to be taken and stolen.]
The Conqueror's statue raised the hand holding the bow.
Rumble—!
Then, the door behind the statue opened, revealing a mountain of gold.
[Plunderers, if you show respect to me, I will willingly give you what you desire.]
As soon as the golden statue finished speaking, a silver glow emerged from the golden floor of the chamber.
Soon, the gold around the statue receded, forming four small silver platforms, each barely large enough for one person to stand on.
‘That’s why four people were necessary.’
The mission on the 7th underground level.
Apart from the condition that all party members must survive, the difficulty itself was quite easy.
All they had to do was stand on the created silver platforms, and bow whenever the golden statue aimed its arrow at them.
It was practically a bonus mission, as long as they stayed alive.
Whirr!
Seong Jihan untied the rope.
Then, the three people fell to the ground like wooden logs, rolling stiffly.
- How are you going to make them bow?
- They must be grinding their teeth, lol.
- Is he going to use telekinesis?
- But the distance is so far.
The viewers, who knew Seong Jihan's power as telekinesis, were curious about how he would overcome this obstacle.
Even if Seong Jihan's power was special, could he make them bow from such a distance?
Of course, unlike the viewers' curiosity, for Seong Jihan, this dungeon was already as good as cleared.
‘At this distance, the force should be enough.’
Making someone bow is a rather complex movement, but if the party members, who were paralyzed by acupressure, were controlled by force, they should be able to manage the posture.
Thud, thud.
Soon, the three party members, freed by Seong Jihan, began to walk like marionettes.
- It seems to be working?
- What are the limits of this guy? lol
- I really want to see his status window. What kind of ability is this?
When Seong Jihan and the party members all stood on the silver platforms, the Conqueror's statue moved.
[Begin.]
Swoosh—
The Conqueror's statue turned to the party member on the far left and aimed the arrow at them.
Thud!
The warrior from the Black Vulture Guild knelt down, as if collapsing.
The movement was awkward compared to a human, but Seong Jihan's force managed to make a bow-like motion.
[Good.]
The Conqueror's statue acknowledged this.
- Hahaha!
- Yay~ First place again!
- Nothing... happened!
[Next.]
This time, the arrow aimed at the mage on the far right.
Thud!
The mage completed the bow more naturally than the warrior.
[Next.]
For the third turn, the archer next to Seong Jihan bowed so perfectly that it was almost indistinguishable from a real person.
- Is his control getting better? The warrior's bow looked like a wooden log - No, it's not an illusion. The telekinesis was actually released!!
And the last one.
The Conqueror's statue aimed the arrow at Seong Jihan.
[Next.]
‘It’s over now.’ Seong Jihan bowed to clear the dungeon.
The Conqueror's statue smiled in satisfaction and spoke.
[Good. Enter.]
Thus, the final mission of the 7th underground level was cleared with ease.
- Even if the three team members betrayed him, it wouldn’t work.
- Then, are they just riding on his level up?
- So sweet! lol
- But why doesn’t he finish it?
If he crossed the door, the dungeon would be cleared, and the game would end.
All he had to do was take a step, but Seong Jihan stood there as if nailed to the ground.
- What is he doing?
- He won’t lose his first place. The second place just entered the 4th floor - His speed is insane. He could even take a nap.
As the viewers expressed their doubts.
A sigh of resignation escaped Seong Jihan's lips.
“Huh.”
It was because of the quest window that appeared before his eyes.
[Hidden Quest]
- Show true respect to the Conqueror's statue.
- Reward: 5,000 Achievement Points / Conqueror's Arrow
‘True respect.’ Was the bow he just did not true respect?
Seong Jihan recalled the words the Conqueror's statue had said earlier.
[Gold, in the end, is something to be taken and stolen.]
The meaningful words left by the Conqueror, who welcomed the plunderers.
‘The Conqueror is the plunderer of plunderers.’
What kind of true respect could be shown to such a person?
Seong Jihan gazed at the Conqueror's statue.
The golden equestrian statue, which was as magnificent as the gold inside the opened door, if not more so.
And the most eye-catching was the arrow the Conqueror's statue was aiming.
The arrow, which emitted a fierce aura with its golden and silver colors, was as large as the equestrian statue.
It looked like a spear by human standards.
If so, the most valuable thing here was not the pile of gold or the golden equestrian statue, but the arrow.
‘If the reward for the achievement quest is also the arrow...’
How could he obtain the arrow?
The answer was already there.
He had to make the equestrian statue shoot the arrow.
‘Considering the 5,000 achievement points, it’s not an easy quest, but...’
It didn’t matter.
With such an extraordinary arrow as a reward.
This quest had to be cleared.
‘Let’s... start.’
Seong Jihan smiled and used his force to pull the mage.
Creak.
The mage, who was pulled by Seong Jihan's right hand, was seized by a sense of foreboding.
‘What, what’s happening? Suddenly!’
Although he lost 1 billion, he thought Seong Jihan would still level up and take first place.
But something seemed off.
“O King of Plunderers.”
[King of Plunderers, are you speaking of me?]
“Yes, I will show you true respect.”
Whip!
Seong Jihan threw the mage towards the Conqueror's statue.
“Ugh... Ugh!”
Just as the mage's body, flying through the air, was about to hit the golden equestrian statue.
Crack!
The golden warhorse suddenly opened its mouth and swallowed the mage whole.
The mage, who had been dragged along until now, instantly disappeared.
- ????? What is this? ?????
- Why did he do that after all the effort?
- Is he crazy?
The viewers, who thought the game was over, expressed their confusion at the sudden turn of events.
[What are you doing?]
The Conqueror's statue looked bewildered.
But Seong Jihan, who had just bowed, pointed at the arrow with a serene expression.
“The most valuable thing here... is not the gold in that door, but your arrow.”
[Oh... then?]
The Conqueror, who seemed somewhat excited, responded to Seong Jihan's words, which openly targeted the arrow.
“So, I will take it.”
Swish—
Seong Jihan, holding the sword he had taken from the warrior, calmly declared.
“Taking the most valuable thing by force. That is my respect to the King of Plunderers.”
[...]
“According to your way.”
* * *
[Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!]
Rumble—!
The 7th underground chamber shook with laughter.
The gold neatly stacked behind the equestrian statue spilled out haphazardly.
Gold chunks scattered around the hooves of the warhorse.
But no one present cared about the gold.
[You seemed like a mere grave robber when you bowed...]
Swoosh—
The Conqueror's statue aimed its bow at Seong Jihan.
The momentum was completely different from when he made them bow.
The oppressive aura of the Conqueror Emperor filled the air.
[The ability to recognize the value of things. And the desire to take them by force. Excellent.]
Explosive energy burst from the tip of the arrow, enveloping it in white flames.
The heat was so intense that the gold chunks under the warhorse's hooves began to melt.
[Your words are true! It has been a long time since I thought of the days of conquest. Yes, you have shown me the utmost respect!]
Squeak.
The bowstring was pulled taut.
[So, I will bestow it upon you myself. The Phoenix Arrow!]
Fitting its grand name.
The heat that burst from it instantly filled the entire chamber.
The Conqueror's momentum, daring anyone to receive it.
Whoosh—!
Even before the arrow left the bowstring, the warrior and the archer were already on fire, burning helplessly.
If this continued, the party members, who were like a burden, would soon die.
‘Their deaths are not a concern for me, but...’
The problem was that the sword Seong Jihan was holding belonged to the warrior.
If the warrior died, the sword would be recalled.
It would be difficult to receive the Phoenix Arrow, which was emitting a fierce aura, with his bare hands.
‘I wonder if this is what it was made for.’
Even in the Defense Map, when a Flash Golem appeared, it was surprising, but this was even more so.
Even a warrior who had reached the Gold League could not block that arrow.
‘Even I couldn’t block it if the arrow left the bowstring.’
There was no time.
The underground chamber was turning into a sea of fire, and if the warrior died, the weapon would disappear.
Seong Jihan's sharp gaze focused on the bow.
‘I have to act first.’
He poured all his energy into the sword.
The superpower, a combination of divine power and magic, along with his inner strength.
The sword, infused with the power of the three dantians, was about to explode.
Seong Jihan performed a single technique.