Level 0 Master

The image of a girl embracing the sun appeared in his memories again. A beautiful girl with golden skin. But her beauty didn't come from her appearance. What made her shine was her desire to protect her people, and her determination to fight against the threat to her country.

Although she was also a girl who wished to be normal and happy, she gave up everything and sacrificed herself to protect her people.

Her appearance, which was pitiful and beautiful, had made him feel protective. "Ereka?" Her name came to him quite naturally.

Ah… Ereka… She was there. He had wanted to protect her and love her. Even amidst his lost memories, that truth came to mind very clearly, and when one returned, another followed: a young and bright mage clutching onto Ereka's sleeve. Unlike her cute appearance, she had been rough, but she was a child who cried for those she had been unable to protect. A child. Jenna.

There was one more. A silver-haired female warrior. Exclamations followed where her flying swords led, and her strategies were good enough to be praised as the best of the four countries. I had wished to make her my teammate because of her talents and beauty.

But she was not simply a talented general. She was an unfortunate woman who had begged her king to protect the people. He remembered. Her name was Eustasia.

There was another. A naive and weak girl. A girl who was younger than the previous girls. Despite the numerous curses placed upon her body, she was a holy maiden who healed others before her own pain. But a secretly tearful and lonely child. He had forgotten about protecting her.

There was also a seductive and amazing woman. A woman with a dancer's body. An unfortunate woman who cried inwardly, missing her brother's presence. He had thought to heal her pain and protect her, too. Zakiya…

He had gathered them all. And had challenged the strong enemies to create his ideal world with them.

Do not remember

A wave of pleasure washed over him, seeing that he did not respond to the torture.

It was the highest level of soma that could be granted.

Do not concern yourself. Leave your destiny in the hands of the given wisdom.

A pleasure that ran through every nerve in his body tried to make him faint once again. It was a warning that he wouldn't be able to feel such happiness if he kept thinking.

Wasn't it scary to be absent of such pleasantries?

His body, which had become accustomed to soma, trembled in fear and pleasure.

But… I need to keep thinking.

Even in the midst of his pleasure, Sungjin kept thinking. Because there was someone being stepped on before him. He couldn't ignore her for his own happiness. He had to think about whether the girl should be treated that way.

Our ruler is the absolute justice.

No.

Justice or not, he couldn't ignore this, even in pain or pleasure.

Because he… he… had people he needed to protect.

He remembered the girl's faces one by one that had been submerged in his memory, memories that had been sealed when he was thrown into this world.

Ereka. Eustasia. Jenna. Rachel. Zakiya.

How could he have forgotten, even in spite of his promises to protect them?

Crack.

Cra… craack.

Pain rampaged around his body, trying to make him faint, but his awakened mind refused to break.

As if he had reached a critical point, various scenes passed by his mind. Various information rose and disappeared in a flow. The influx of information made him dizzy, but his brilliant mind absorbed everything.

His brain, now with a purpose, tried to recall everything and recovered the happenings on earth, the events after Valhalla, and several other events.

Are you abandoning infinite happiness and returning to depravity?

Depravity? No, that was a part of him: to save others, to challenge others, and to find special relationships, and the depravity and determination that stemmed from those experiences.

That was him!

Blood flew. His skin was broken. "Haa. Haa." And the chip was ripped out. Sungjin grasped the chip, and electricity flew across his hand. "How noisy. How dare a meager object attempt to order me around." He was not going to be defeated by such a thing.

Ha. What a mess. The lion raised his head. "You humiliated me." Sungjin looked at the sky. "Fine. This kind of humiliation is befitting of my defeat. I won't contest that. But there will not be a second time. I challenge you again!"

The lion raised his fist towards the sky and roared. "I will escape this place! And return to beat you!"

He had people who he had promised to protect, after all.

* * *

He had a goal to achieve. A responsibility to fulfill. That was the reason behind his decision for a real life.

It was because he didn't fear such pain that he didn't beg for pleasures and betray himself.

He was Cha Sungjin, someone who would become the Arc Master of Valhalla!

"Wait for me for just a bit more. I'll return to apologise if I've made anyone cry for my pathetic loss."

It was the beginning of a counter-attack.

"Sungjin," Ereka cried.

The last bit of light was flickering in her chest, but she smiled. Her faith had not been wrong. Sungjin had woken up.

Please… Forgive me for doubting you.

But she did not have enough time to give him everything she had.

Suddenly, Eustasia grabbed her hand. "Leave the rest to me."

"Eustasia."

"This isn't just your duty. It's all of ours." And she smiled refreshingly as she tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Huhu. I was planning to say something cool, but didn't expect it would be you I'd say it to. It's fine. You should share some of the responsibility with us."

A chance to do something for him.

"Yes."

Ereka smiled in return as she handed over Sungjin's body.

Varka's eyebrow twitched. To think he'd break out of his leash. I suppose he is a lion even when thrown into mud.

It's human instinct to seek joy rather than pain. It's natural for a person who's lost his memories to follow the rules of his surroundings, but to think he wouldn't ignore the "pain of others." He had stood up to resist the pain and pleasure despite his memory loss.

That alone was one side of Sungjin that he had not known.

It's the end.

It was a world run by the rules he created, but at the same time, even though he was the ruler and the source of the rules, he couldn't control everything. That was why Sungjin, a resistance fighter, was forced to become a prisoner.

Or was it not a "coincidence," but a result of his women's prayers? If they had given up on him, he wouldn't have walked into this moment.

But it was a meaningless resistance.

Even if Varka had cut off the leash of where his soul was residing, he was still in the world he had created. Even if one was locked in a huge prison and barked for freedom, the sound would not go over the fence.

He can try, and realize how futile his actions are.

After all, a flimsy dream can produce nothing. His women were just wasting their time, because the order of his world did not exist only by control through chips…

The real challenge was from now on.

Chapter 4

Sungjin moved quickly and rushed over to the robot who had caught the girl.

Beep! Beep!

[Without chips. Search.]

[Without chips. Arrest.]

The siren rang loudly, and the robot trying to execute the chip on the girl hit Sungjin first.

Vicious fists and guns were aimed at him at the same time.

"Ha, the actions are at an AI level."

Sungjin laughed lightly, avoiding both attacks, and returned to the robot's back. It's a pity that I don't have a holy sword. Instead, there was a driver in his hand.

It would have been indignant to throw it, which was a symbol of humiliation, as a normal rebellion.

Sungjin smiled at him and held his hand and turned a screw on the back of the robot.

Attacking the enemy's supplies are the basics of war. According to the Art of War, one supply island taken from enemy camps was worth ten islands. He was going to reveal what kind of weapon a driver could be in his hand.

The robot turned back and aimed at him again. However, it was a pre-computed move for Sungjin.

The driver moved brilliantly in a row.

Even though there was no force to cut the steel, it could unscrew the back of the robot. All four screws were loosened, and one of the back plates was opened by Sung Jin. It was a complex and sophisticated control panel. Sungjin drove the driver into its control panel.

Pzzt.

At that moment, electricity fizzled and the panel broke. The robot stopped with a chattering sound.

"An isolated driver is more useful." Praising the opponent's tools, Sungjin turned to the girl. "Are you okay?" He removed the robot's arm and released her.

"Who are you?" Her whole body looked torn, but the voice remained unchanged elegance.

The elegance of an oriental nobleman came naturally. "I'm Cha Sungjin. I'll tell you the details later, and since it's clear that we have the same enemy, all you should know is that I'm just a guy who'd saved you."

"Sungjin. Okay. My name is Sooryun. The rest I'll explain after the escape… … . "

"Can you walk?"

"Yes, somehow."

That said, she made as if to stand, but staggered, as her legs were weak.

"Impossible. Leave it to me now. " Sungjin gathered her right away.

"Oh, this… … This is… … inappropriate… … . " She became shy and pushed Sungjin's chest away, but Sungjin did not let go.

"There will be many situations from now on. Do you know what's the priority of escape safely?" He persuaded her strongly. It was not time for courtesies.

"… … Yes, but you will have a hard time moving with me. "

"Do not worry. It's not a big burden. You're lighter than I expected." Sungjin smiled and hugged her with one hand. It was true. A little more than Rachel. But much lighter than Ereka or Eustasia. It had to be because she had a slower growth as a part of the yellow race. Above all, he couldn't say it's heavy while holding a girl in crisis.

"I'm sorry."

Sooryun buried his face with red cheeks. I did not want to get off anymore.

"Then let's escape now."

But the situation was not good.

[Beep!]

[Beep!]

[Impurities occured!]

[Blockade! Blockade!]

Again, sirens rang out over the city. At the same time, robots came from all over.

Sungjin ran away from it. The terrain is open here.

Because of his given work. Sungjin ran a narrow road where the robot found hard to move. Again, he circumvented the siege by actively using roads that was included in the robot's "map," such as walls, railings, and doors of buildings.