Level 0 Master

Chapter 9

Cling.

A space opened above Sungjin's body on the ground, and opened two paths from far away. Two lights came down. The first light went into Sungjin's body.

Ping.

The shape of the flame on his chest that had been losing its light, lit up again and then disappeared. Sungjin opened his eyes. "Huh."

When he started breathing, all the girls ran into his arms all together.

"Sungjin!" Ereka held Sungjin's right arm, crying.

"It took a while." Eustasia held his left hand, complaining.

"Sungjin oppa…" Rachel and Jenna held his legs, and their tears wet his pants.

"Haha. Sorry guys. And thank you."

"You know we were worried, right?" Zakiya hugged him from his back.

What a fuss I created. Sungjin smiled, and didn't know how to thank all of them who had waited for him who hadn't made the first fight against Varka.

Although he was not able to see what was happening exactly, but he was able to feel what was going on. He felt that he was supposed to be dead but the girls were putting everything they had into him to keep him alive.

These girls were his people who would stay with him forever, and he thanked each of them one by one. "Thank you so much, but now that I'm back, you can stop crying."

"Yes."

Another light came down next to them and became a person. It was Sooryun. "They are who you were talking about."

"Oh… you are Sooryun." Ereka stood up and greeted Sooryun with a warm smile.

"Do you know me?"

"We were able to see what was going on on Sungjin's side, so I was able to see that you were helping Sungjin."

"Ah, ok." But then, Sooryun started to blush. "That… that means… did you…?" Sooryun was worried that they had seen her intimate moment with Sungjin.

"Don't worry. We were only watching from time to time to check on the situation. We weren't watching the whole time."

"Ah, ok."

Sooryun was relieved, but Ereka had to swallow her sigh. So… that means there was something quite intimate between you and Sungjin…

But there was not much Ereka could do. A guy and girl had worked together, risking their lives. It would have been rather strange if they didn't have any feelings for each other, and it was Sungjin, who everyone admired. It was only natural if they had something between them.

"Huh. We were worrying about you, and you brought a new girl?" Eustasia asked, making Sungjin flinch.

"Oh, well… that's… No, I won't find an excuse for it." Sungjin smiled awkwardly, knowing that whatever he said would sound like an excuse.

He wanted to tell them that he just wanted to help a girl, nothing more, but that wouldn't be true. Sungjin was attracted to Sooryun. The night Sooryun had offered her everything to him, his heart had been pounding.

He had many beautiful and lovely girls, but that didn't mean he couldn't recognize other types of beauty as beauty. Sooryun was attractive in a different way. Well, I suppose that is the nature of guys. The important thing was not feeling the attraction but acting correctly, but I can't say I have nothing to hide.

He wasn't thinking about the night with Sooryun. He had promised himself that he would protect Sooryun, and had asked Sooryun to escape Varka's world and come with him. He hadn't been trying to offer a relationship then, but he had to take responsibility for his offer and his choices.

"Stop, Eustasia. That's unnecessary. It's okay, Sungjin," said Ereka with a smile, as if she could understand whatever it was he was thinking. "You are the conqueror of the continent. It doesn't matter how many women you take."

But for Sungjin, upsetting Eustasia was an easier situation to deal with than Ereka's nice words that put even more pressure on him.

"Hmm, well… that is not it."

"I'm really okay. Don't worry. It's something that you can do, naturally." Ereka's smile became even brighter, although her eyes told him that she was lonely.

"Haha." Sungjin thought it would never be simple or easy. Taking more people on his way to becoming an Arc Master meant he had to be the person who could embrace everyone along his way. What he had to do was not apologize to the girls but take responsibility. He decided to conquer Valhalla and save everyone on his way. He didn't decide to filter and select only some people but take everyone under his protection—that was the responsibility of Cha Sungjin of Valhalla. He was the conqueror of this world, so he had to act accordingly, not by the rule of earth, but by the rule of Valhalla.

But still… this is really tricky. It was more difficult than his battles against strong opponents, but Sungjin decided to stand up and tell them the truth.

"While I was escaping from the closed space of Varka, she was a great teammate for me, and when I destroyed the closed space, she trusted me when I had to make a decision that would change people's destiny." He decided to tell them what really happened. "So I had to take responsibility for my choices, so I came here with her. I hope you understand."

"Hmm. I don't really know what happened… but you came back safely thanks to her. I'm happy with her!" Rachel smiled brightly.

"Hehe. I'm not in a position where I could complain about any decision you make." Zakiya bowed to show him that she was just his dancer who would obey him.

Ereka hid her lonely eyes and pretended she was ok.

"You guys fought together in Varka's world, right?"

"Yes."

"Then she is our teammate too. Right, everyone?" Ereka asked everyone with a smile.

"Pff. Well, without her help, maybe Sungjin wouldn't be able to come back, so…" Eustasia approved Sooryun, but she didn't look very happy.

"She was the one who liberated others in Varka's world. It was the conqueror's duty to take her in when he saved her. He is the one who will take the world under him. It is natural that he takes girls in the world as well. Let's not make Sooryun feel uncomfortable."

"Yes. He needs much more power." Ereka held Sooryun's hand. "Sooryun, welcome to our team. They are complaining now, but they are actually grateful for your help. Thanks to you, Sungjin is back. Eustasia is just complaining for now, although she is truly happy."

Ereka's warm words made Sooryun impressed. "Thank you, Ereka."

So these are Sungjin's girls. Sooryun was able to see that everyone was worried about Sungjin and that now they were really happy that he was back. They were not girls who were fighting for Sungjin's attention but a team that was supporting him. So I can be a part of them and get along.

"Sungjin didn't forget about you guys when he was locked in Varka's world. He kept saying he had to go back for you, so I envied you guys."

"Hmm, did he?"

"That's a good thing to know."

Hmm… well… Sungjin didn't know how he should feel about this. He was not trying to do anything, but they were arranging their relationship among them.

"Hehe. Tell us all about what happened there. We really want to know, but not right now…" Ereka changed the air with a serious face. "Sungjin, don't you have something to tell us for the next fight?"

"Yeah… yes."

Sungjin stood straight. He had promised that he would take everyone to a better future when he destroyed Varka's world. He had no plan to step back, even without that promise he made. Varka was still the one he had to defeat, but Varka was strong.

Sungjin didn't defeat Varka. He had simply destroyed the world Varka had made with his power. The real fight was about to begin.

Sungjin looked around at everyone.

"The first time, I didn't even have a chance." Sungjin accepted his failure and continued. "There's only one chance left." This was the only chance to go back. If he accepted that this was an impossible challenge for him and went back, he could still be the conqueror of the continent. There was endless power and four hundred years of youth waiting for him, and it wouldn't be a bad choice to go back to that, especially when the opponent was such a strong one. "But I was able to learn about Varka, and I improved myself as well." Common sense was not Sungjin's specialty. He was the one who could make an impossible choice possible. "So I will defeat him in our next fight."

"Yes. We trust you."

"So I hope you will join me in the second fight and put everything into it." Sungjin bowed formally to ask for their help.

It was a risky challenge. It was not only his life that was at stake, but all the girls' fate. The biggest risk was that they had only seen two of Varka's skills during their first fight. It was dangerous, even for Sungjin, to fight against an opponent with unknown skills.

Sungjin understood the risk, but he still had to go forward toward his goal, and he had to create the world that he had promised to the vengeful spirits. He asked the girls to trust him one more time and come with him. He was determined to win.

"I'm your sword. Your wish is my command."

"I trust you Sungjin Oppa. I want to save people as well."

Eustasia and Rachel joined him without any hesitation.

"I'm going with everyone."

"Hehe, I told you I would give you everything: my body and my heart."

Jenna and Zakiya promised to join him.

"Is everyone coming with you? Let me have a chance to fight with you again—it's also my fight," Sooryun asked Sungjin.

"Of course." It was Sooryun's fight as well.

Sungjin stood up. It was time for the rematch.

Epilogue

Varka opened his eyes to see Sungjin and his girls. They had come back. "Well done. I didn't expect you to destroy the Seal of the Devil from the Western Sky. I guess I underestimated you while you were still a conqueror of the continent."

"I learned a move from you. It was a power of next level."

Varka's world, which was built based on his belief in perfect order and absolute control, showed special power in every corner. It was an embodiment of his ideology.

"I will ask you one more time. Don't you want to change your mind and create the world that I told you to?" Varka asked, because he thought killing Sungjin was a waste, but Varka's voice showed absolute power that was playing everyone on his hand.

If Sungjin decided to create a world as an Arc Master where Sungjin himself would control everything as a merciful tyrant, then Varka was ready to give this fight to Sungjin.

"If I was going to change my mind, I wouldn't have destroyed your world to come here."

"Huh, so that is your final answer."

Sungjin was standing in front of an absolute power that was much stronger, but he didn't step back.

"The stupidity of humans didn't change over a few thousand years. Do you really think that would be possible?"

"I will lead them to change it."

"That's impossible."

"You just gave up."

"It was impossible even for me, and you can't even defeat me, but you would do that?" Varka laughed at Sungjin.

"I told you, didn't I? Humans grow and progress. That includes me." Sungjin laughed confidently.

"You foolish thing. People are just like kids. The king has to protect them as if their his own children. You shouldn't let them go free into the wild."

"To help the kid grow up is the duty of the rightful king."

"We will never be able to agree on this, so come. I will make you see that your silly pursuit would be useless before rightful rulership."

"I will show you what I've been preparing for you."

"Come. I will teach you."

The battlefield had opened.