Level 0 Master

"Huhu. He only has the final battle left." Eustasia smiled victoriously even as she panted. Sungjin was going to return.

A military force that protected the central or some five guardians wouldn't be able to stop him. The only problem was… she didn't have much time left within her.

Fortunately, there were others who were willing to step in. "Unni, I'll take over from here." Rachel grabbed onto Sungjin's right hand with a calm smile, and Jenna grabbed his left hand as if it were a contest.

Sungjin had asked for ten days. They were determined to give him that amount of time.

Varka simply watched them in silence. Their spirits have been lifted.

Well, hope seemed arguable when he had already made such a commotion within his world. But they would soon realise that his world wasn't so easy, that the more resistance there was, the more repercussions there would be.

Sungjin had one hundred and eighty-seven hours and forty-two minutes.

Chapter 6

While Sungjin and Sooryun were discussing the drills for the final battle, one man ran up to them. His height was far taller than Sungjin, and he had golden hair that was cut sportily. His face looked sharp but at the same time orderly. And his white formal wear was stiff in color and well-ironed. Even his body underneath his clothes showed well-toned muscles without a hint of fat. He had an aura of a well-trained military personnel. He was of a different cut from the other resistance fighters.

Huh, he's well trained. Sungjin wondered if this man was the "sub-commander" Sooryun had mentioned.

Even if he did not have the level, he seemed to be strict on himself.

"Miss! You're safe!" Contrary to his hard and unyielding eyes, his features softened in happiness.

"It's you." Sooryun smiled softly at him.

He could feel the bond that had developed over a long period of interaction and trust.

"I was getting worried because you were an hour late."

"I'm not that late. Don't worry."

"And I was further concerned when I heard that there were extra problems from my subordinates."

"Yes. There was a problem. But I see you have not heard that I was rescued by Sungjin. Let me introduce him. Sungjin?"

"Ah, this is Sungjin." The man looked at him, but it was not the soft gaze that he had looked at Sooryun with. He looked as if he were a shepherd facing off against Sungjin, a lion aiming for his innocent sheep. Was it simply wariness mixed with jealousy? Or was it something else?

"I am relieved that this man has saved you. He has saved me by extension."

"Yes."

"But, even if he may be a savior, he is an outsider. I believe you have been too hasty in bringing him to our most secret place."

"It was necessary. After all, Sungjin is our hope that we have been waiting for. Sungjin had originally been a ruler in his world, and although he was defeated against Varka, he has the ability to battle against him. He has also suggested helping us break through the final defense of the World Stone."

"Just because he claims to be someone doesn't mean that he is. We should be careful in the way we approach the World Stone, not simply entrusting the task to a stranger."

"Of course. I'm not trusting him on his words. Sungjin is my savior, and he showed an amazing talent for strategizing when destroying the encirclement. It would have been impossible with just you and me. I have sufficient evidence for trusting his strategies for the battle."

"It is amazing that he saved you by breaking out of a city encirclement, but a strategy is also based largely on luck. We cannot decide everything based on that one chance occurrence."

Looking at Dunpyung, who was insistent, Sooryun sighed. "It is good to be careful, but it has been a long time since we've been able to make any progress due to that very carefulness."

"It's better than heading the wrong way."

Sungjin finally interfered in their fight. "I don't think this is something that can be resolved by words, and he does have a point."

"Sungjin?" Sooryun looked at him in bewilderment.

"So I want to suggest something. You there, you claim to be her equal? You wouldn't be able to accept my abilities with simple words. If breaking out of an encirclement doesn't convince you, how about testing me?"

"Kuk. You bastard."

"You propose how we're going to do this." Sungjin smiled nostalgically at the situation.

Thinking about it, this situation was identical to the situation after he had been summoned to Valhalla. In a world where levels were the deciding factor, people had tested him, claiming that a level 0 should not be recognized. Those words had disappeared as soon as he was called the otherworldly king, or a young lion, and more, but hearing it again made him amused rather than angry. Although, back then even Ereka had not been able to trust him, but right now Sooryun, who had witnessed his flashy escape, was thoroughly on his side.

Then would this man be in place of Rittier? Now that I think about it, he looks like him, too. He wondered if Rittier looked like the man before him when he was younger. If he's the next-in-line of the resistance, I should squash him completely to make him comply.

It is the basics of basics to organize a group's hierarchy before standing in front of the enemy. Sungjin arrogantly provoked the man once more. "Now, how will you test me? A one-on-one fight like a man?"

That was Sungjin's trap. If Dunpyung really did go for an individual battle, Sungjin would find it more difficult. Here, there were no facilities or traps he had already prepared, and his level was still low. If it was simply a sword play, he had confidence he would win, but if the opponent planned to use skills he didn't know, he didn't know what variables he would have to deal with.

"I have heard that our leader has praised your strategic mind."

And the opponent was baited.

"Yes."

"I'm sure you have some strength, as you were a king in the past, but the enemy's numbers are great. They cannot be beaten by sheer force. I dare you to prove your strategic mind again. We will each have five people in our team, and our contest will simply be ordering them. It will be in that mountain."

"Fine." Sungjin agreed immediately.

I'd already predicted you'd go with a strategic battle when I suggested a battle of strength.

"If you win, we'll do as Sooryun suggests. But if you lose, you wouldn't suggest advancing towards the central tower, would you?"

"No."

"I will choose my five subordinates first, then you choose your own."

And after saying so, he turned on his heels and tightened his muscles. Sungjin, is it? I'll stop you. Even if he used some cowardly methods. This was not an individual battle. This was a battle about Sooryun, so he wasn't going to be picky about methods. You may be confident in your strategies, but you're the one who's trapped.

The mountain he had pointed to was a terrain he was familiar with. Sungjin would have no way of knowing the secret paths or the best observation peaks. And he knew best where the map was "wrong." Sungjin didn't. And, moreover, he could pick his subordinates first.

I know who's the best among our three thousand. He didn't know what Sooryun would tell him, but he had the first choice. On top of that… he will be recommended to those who are exceptional within the remaining group, but my spy will be chosen. And that spy would tell him Sungjin's plans.

His predictions were accurate. The people Sooryun chose for Sungjin were the five he already knew. Good. It's according to plan.

Sungjin may be stronger than me because he had been strong enough to rescue Sooryun. He may even have a level that's higher than Sooryun's. But if this was purely a competition among his subordinates, he had the advantage of having been in this organization for a long time. A newbie wouldn't be able to understand the ins and outs of his organization.

He eye signalled to his planted spy Yungryoon. Yungryoon twitched his hand to signal back.

I don't know what he's planning, but Yungryoon will tell me everything in hand signals.

The battle started on the mountain.

What will happen? Everyone was curious.

Sungjin spoke to the five. "I saw the map, so I need you guys to hide here. Everyone to this position," Sungjin directed the four. "And afterwards, I need you, Yungryoon, to lead them here. You guys can throw your stones and arrows then."

Although they wouldn't be hurt, as the arrowheads had been exchanged with paint bombs, this was a battle where, once painted, the person was considered dead.

"Yes."

Sungjin ran into the darkness. As ordered, the other four went to their positions, and Yungryoon carefully told Dungpyung about Sungjin's plans.

Dungpyung laughed silently after listening. "I see. He's done for."

"What should we do?"

"I'll first pretend as if I was lured. All five will chase after you. But there, three people will go around and attack you from behind."

"Yes."

"He won't know that we already had a small road made. Yungryoon, you pretend as if you've lured us."

"Yes."

He will show whose plan was victorious.

Dungpyung waited leisurely for the victory flare. And… a while later, the flare went up as predicted.

Except it became Sungjin's win.

"Hooow!?"

His subordinates lowered their heads at his anger. "The thing is…. We were counterattacked… At the very path we were going…"

There had been a trap in the secret path they had taken to go around Sungjin's ambushes. Because they had lowered their guards from Yungryoon's words, they had been taken down easily.

"What?" Dungpyung glared at Yungryoon.

"N… No." Yungryoon defended himself, saying that he had not betrayed him.

"He's right. Don't blame your subordinate. He repeated the details of my order down to the very letter," Sungjin clarified for him.

"Kuk, you, you bastard! You tricked me!"

"You should have known a spy can be used as a double-edged sword." He should have known a spy could become a sword that cut him. He was an enemy whose thoughts were way too easy to read, enough so that Sungjin hadn't needed to prepare a grand plan.

The other resistance members were amazed. To think he would know the terrain like his own palm and defeat Dungpyung so easily. There was a reason why Sooryun trusted him.

"Arg, damn it!" Dungpyung turned his back and walked away like a sore loser.

"What rude behaviour… to think he is unable to accept his defeat." Sooryun sighed, and lowered her head towards Sungjin. "I apologise. I have been incapable of controlling my sub-commander."

"No, it's fine. His arrogance is a natural reaction."

"I am thankful for your understanding."

"Ha, well." Sungjin smiled.

After having witnessed her true figure, a middle school student, her mature words only looked cute in his eyes. But he only thought so and didn't say it out loud, as she disliked anyone pointing it out.

"But please don't see him negatively. He's incapable of controlling his bouts of emotion, but he's not a bad person."

Sungjin smiled at the sight of her carefully protecting her subordinate while apologizing on his behalf. "Really?"

"Yes. He's someone who has stayed by my side despite everything. Please let go of your grudges. For me."

"Your relationship looks special."

"Yes. He said that he was my butler when I was the lady of the house in my previous world, yet…"

"Yet…?"

"Do you remember my telling you I had no recollection of the events that had occurred in my original world?"

"Yes."

"But I do have certain impressions. He had been a person who was by my side and who was constantly worried for me. I do have a feeling he had not been a simple butler but family."

"And he kept protecting you after arriving in this world?"

"… Not protecting. I'm not that young anymore." Sooryun drew the line at the fact that he had simply stayed by her side.

"Haha, I see. I get it. If that's your relationship… Well, it's fine."

Sungjin didn't say anything else. Frankly, he knew Dungpyung was going to do something about his unacceptable defeat, but he couldn't tell Sooryun, who considered him family, to be wary of him, as he might go on a rampage. Well, if Dungpyung considers Sooryun as his family as well, he wouldn't overstep.

Perhaps he'd contest Sungjin again. It was enough if he received it on his end.

"My sub-commander would have accepted his defeat by now. Please use the weapon we have prepared and lead a battle to victory."

"Okay. I've confirmed your secret weapon, so I'll begin preparing starting tomorrow."

"Please do so." Sooryun also decided to bet everything on Sungjin.

Sungjin similarly accepted his role, and became determined to advance towards the World Stone in order to return to his body.