Chapter 627:
Seong Jihan looked at the tip of the sword with a dumbfounded expression.
'...How long has it been since I showed him the Infinite Sword, and he's already imitating it?'
No matter if it was the level Dongbang Sak reached in the past, did his speed of progress even make sense?
Indeed, no matter what Seong Jihan did, he couldn’t catch up to Dongbang Sak’s innate talent in martial arts.
As Seong Jihan thought this, he recalled Dongbang Sak's earlier proposal.
'He asked me to summon him to Ark so he can perfect the Infinite Sword...'
Was that even possible?
To begin with, Dongbang Sak was bound to the Tower.
And only the Light Clan could enter Ark, right?
At that moment.
[Well, I managed to enter along with you.]
'True. Come to think of it, you weren't filtered out. Is it because you're inside Blue and Red?'
The Red Administrator, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.
[I'm not sure if it's because Blue blocked detection. My main body, Hephaestus, is also being used as a supplementary power source in Ark. It's possible that the power of the Hell is permitted in Ark.]
'Hmm...'
[But Dongbang Sak can't leave the Tower in the first place, right? You need to replicate the Tower in Ark for it to be possible.]
'It's not like it's the BattleNet; how could we create the Tower there?'
[Hmm. From what I grasped while inside Hephaestus, Ark's operating system is very similar to BattleNet...]
Was Ark's operating system similar to Battle Net?
Now that he thought about it, he could use his abilities there without much problem.
Was the fundamental framework the same?
'Indeed... Come to think of it, it's strange that "void" is one of the criteria for determining an "isolated entity."'
White Light was an authority the New Humanity possessed, so that made sense.
But it was puzzling why void would be a criterion for "greed" in Ark.
If void was the power to delete server data, then in Ark, which was above the servers, shouldn't it be useless?
'Here, void is merely a sacrifice for making Void EXP Potions.'
Did it have another use in Ark?
Seong Jihan furrowed his brow.
'I still know too little about Ark.'
This time, when he entered, he needed to gather more information.
With that thought, he looked at Dongbang Sak.
"When I go into Ark this time, I'll try to find a way. It would be reassuring if you could come as an ally."
"Thank you."
Having decided to find a way to summon Dongbang Sak into Ark, Seong Jihan returned home to make more Void EXP Potions.
'Until my White Light reaches 300, I should quietly focus on leveling up.'
So at home, empty cola and soda bottles piled up.
By the time one cup of Void EXP Potion wasn't enough to level up, and he had to drink four or five cups to raise his level by one...
[Server Administrator, an urgent matter requires your attention.]
The Black Administrator urgently contacted Seong Jihan.
"An urgent matter?"
At Seong Jihan's question,
Zzzing...
A screen appeared before his eyes.
In the dark universe, a streak of light flashed.
[Urd...! You're even mobilizing void!!! So you did steal my teeth...!]
A monstrous creature with a huge mouth and arms beneath it.
Id was shouting at the top of his lungs with his toothless mouth wide open.
'...What kind of misunderstanding is he having now?'
Not long ago, when the server management device disappeared and he panicked thinking Urd had pulled out his teeth,
He had somehow calmed him down, telling him to keep running.
He should have quietly continued to flee, why was he suddenly having a fit?
As Seong Jihan was frowning,
[If you're controlling and fully mobilizing the void, then you must have been the one who took my teeth...! Then why are you looking for me again? Why?! Ah... Don't tell me, you have something to negotiate with me?]
Id kept touching the spot where his teeth had disappeared, chattering incessantly.
[Then quickly state your demands. Don't just pressure me like this...!]
He looked like a frightened dog barking even louder.
Seong Jihan asked the Black Administrator,
"Why is he acting like that?"
[To prevent the White Administrator and Urd from making contact, we deployed void to track his whereabouts in real-time.]
[Upon sensing the detection of void, the White Administrator became suddenly confused.]
"Ah. So he's acting like that because he thinks Urd has mobilized void?"
[Yes.]
Seriously.
Seong Jihan let out a soft sigh as he watched Id repeatedly put his hand into his mouth.
He had set everything up for him to just keep running away,
But seeing void around him, he got scared and made a fuss.
"What about Urd?"
[Because the White Administrator strongly revealed his presence, she was able to locate him. She is on her way there.]
"This is becoming troublesome."
If Urd met Id, she would quickly realize he didn't have the server management device.
Then, she would start searching for the server administrator.
'And I'll be considered one of the suspects.'
In the first place, almost no players could steal the server management device in this server.
Seong Jihan would be considered a prime suspect and would face her interrogation.
Of course.
'Now that I have void control authority, it's easy to kill this server's Urd...'
Even the void-mode Urd was no longer a threat.
He could also mobilize the Black Administrator now.
If he decided to, it was easy to deal with Urd.
However.
'But then the server will explode.'
Even if he killed Urd here, the Urd from Ark would awaken and destroy server 4212.
Then everything would be over.
So for now, he needed Urd to keep chasing Id, believing he has the server management device.
That way, they could maintain the current peace.
'Seems I need a way to control Id's avatar.'
Looking at the guy whose teeth was gone and whose mental state was like tofu, Seong Jihan thought.
No matter how much he reassured him, told him it was okay and just to keep running,
He wouldn't last long before panicking and acting out.
If Id was to continue serving as bait in this server, he would need a way to control him.
'I should go see his main body in Ark.'
To do that, as expected,
"I need to initiate an 'Emergency Maintenance.'"
Emergency Maintenance, meaning entering Ark.
He wanted to enter Ark after some leisure time and thorough preparation.
But because Id was having a panic attack on his own, the timing has been moved up.
Seong Jihan moved to the top floor of The Tower of Martial Gods and checked his stats.
'Level 396. Blue has grown to 760... White Light is at 297.'
He was planning to go once White Light reached 300.
Well, the timing has just moved up a bit.
Thinking that way, Seong Jihan took out the server management device.
And just as he was about to initiate the Emergency Maintenance,
[Id...? You. Where is the server management device?]
[What are you talking about? You're the one who stole it...!]
[What did you say?]
On the screen brought up by the Black Administrator,
Urd was looking at Id with a serious expression.
[...Black Administrator. Don't tell me you... No. It couldn't be you. You wouldn't overstep like that when the void control authority is over here.]
As she excluded the Black Administrator from the list of suspects,
[...Then who on earth?]
She still hadn't grasped who the real owner of the server management device was.
[What? Don't tell me... You didn't take it...?]
Seeing her reaction, Id began to doubt.
[Ha. Are you still saying that? Why would I still be chasing you if I had taken the server management device?]
[Th-that is...]
[Stop talking nonsense. Tell me everything that's happened so far, unless you want to die right here.]
Urd snapped angrily and pressed him.
'At this rate, my name might slip out of his mouth soon.'
He needed to initiate Emergency Maintenance before that.
Beep!
Seong Jihan placed the server management device against his chest.
[Initiating 'Emergency Maintenance.']
[You are not an isolate. You cannot enter Ark.]
Unlike last time.
Perhaps because of the additional trait 'Device Mastery' he had acquired, a voice told him that he did not qualify as an isolate.
'Need to get rid of all the void, and control the traits as well.'
Shuuuu...
Seong Jihan emptied the void he had filled up for leveling.
Then he executed the trait control method he had been testing.
'The manifestation of White Light traits appears as light emanating from a part of the body...'
Currently, Seong Jihan had two traits.
'Clear Implementation of the Tower' and 'Device Mastery.'
Among them, 'Tower Implementation' manifested whenever Seong Jihan entered the Tower, with White Light spreading from his left eye.
'Device Mastery' would cause a faint White Light to spread from his right hand when touching the server management device.
Initially, these phenomena were hardly noticeable unless carefully observed.
But by monitoring himself to avoid being caught by the administrators, he had been able to notice this.
And.
'If I completely cover the body part where White Light manifests with Blue, they can't detect it.'
Sssss...
Seong Jihan's left pupil and sclera were entirely enveloped in a blue glow.
A different voice was heard when he touched the server management device again.
[You are an isolate with 'Device Mastery.' The consumption of White Light for Emergency Maintenance is reduced by half.]
[50 points of the 'White Light' stat will be consumed.]
The server management device acknowledged him as an isolate and only consumed 50 White Light.
After the White Light was consumed, the Emergency Maintenance procedure began.
'Last time, when Id sent me up, no White Light was consumed... Did he cover it for me?'
As Seong Jihan thought this,
[Transmitting the server management device to 'Ark.']
Viiiiiing...!
His body was enveloped in light along with the server management device.
As server 4212 began to pause,
"No way. Is this... Could it be...?"
Only Urd seemed to sense something unusual and widened her eyes.
But before she could grasp anything more, the world froze.
And Seong Jihan's body disappeared along with the server management device.
In Ark's southern region.
Chiiiiiik...!
The server access device created next to Hephaestus opened.
From there, Seong Jihan appeared.
'Since I connected via the server access device, I also return here.'
[It seems so. The completed Hell Flames are still as beautiful as ever...]
Fwoooosh...
Looking at Hephaestus, who served as fuel to keep the Hell Flames burning,
The Red Administrator spoke in a mesmerized voice.
[How about it? Should I split open my main body's head like last time and enter again? Back then, I was occupied making the server access device, so I couldn't explore Ark much. If I go in this time, I can gather more information.]
'And what if the Infinite Sword pops out again like last time? Let's finish what we have to do here first, and I'll give you time to explore when we return.'
[...I suppose you're right.]
At Seong Jihan's words, the Red Administrator agreed.
He looked around.
In the space labeled [Collection - Hephaestus], where the Hell Flames constantly blazed,
Despite the intense flames, the room wasn't particularly hot.
'Even the intense flames don't affect the server access device next to it.'
Was it made with advanced technology to be unaffected even beside such flames?
Still.
'Just in case, I should move it.'
Swoosh.
Seong Jihan pushed the server access device to the farthest corner of the space.
'Doesn't seem like there's more to see here...'
After looking around a bit more, he walked toward the exit.
The large white door he had broken through before had been restored.
But unlike when he tried to enter from outside and had to break it, when he tried to exit,
Zzzing...
The door opened automatically.
'Seems I only need to break it when entering.'
Thinking that, as Seong Jihan was about to step outside,
Thud!
"Eek! The door opened!"
Someone hurriedly rushed inside from outside.
Thump. Thump...
They pulled in floating light clocks from the air as well.
"...What are you doing?"
Fwoosh!
As Seong Jihan burned all the clocks and looked back at him,
"Haa... I'm saved..."
The person who had come inside,
Id's main body, let out a sigh of relief as he looked at Seong Jihan.
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