Chapter 414

The Martial God, who was certain that Seong Jihan would succumb to the Taiji this time, sharpened his gaze as he watched the battle conclude.

He had been prepared to activate the Golden Wheel at the cost of personal loss if Seong Jihan emerged victorious.

[The arm is firmly attached.]

"He has made a reckless choice. For a human to implant an administrator's arm... He will soon be devoured."

Ashoka spoke outwardly with calm, but his heart was uneasy.

Why choose such a path? Managing the Taiji could have been done without resorting to such extreme measures. Was it because of the key?

'It was for his sister... no doubt about it.'

Bending to familial affection at the expense of the greater good... However, if he is soon devoured by the arm, it amounts to the same betrayal.

'...This world is done for.'

Ashoka tentatively concluded that Seong Jihan, in his attempt to save his sister, would be devoured by the administrator's arm, leading to humanity's annihilation and a return to the past.

The end result would be the same even if the process had differed this time.

'No, the end might differ, since Martial God would hastily activate the Golden Wheel.'

Martial God had resolved to turn back time even if it meant relinquishing power should Seong Jihan win.

At least, the accumulation of power would slow down, making it a slight blessing in disguise.

'Do I need to find another candidate?'

Seong Jihan had been the best individual capable of creating variables in this endlessly looping world.

However, from the next cycle, he would be instantly dealt with by Martial God, necessitating the need for a new candidate.

Ashoka pondered who could serve that role but came up with no immediate names.

The fact that they had progressed this far in the current cycle was itself a series of fortuitous events.

However,

[If I acquire that arm... my long-cherished desire will be fulfilled.]

The party intending to revert time seemed to have different thoughts.

"...Will you not activate the Golden Wheel?"

Having lost hope in Seong Jihan after the arm's implantation, Ashoka asked, but,

[Wait for now.]

Given Martial God's historically cautious nature, turning the Golden Wheel seemed like the prudent choice.

Considering how Seong Jihan had acted unpredictably thus far, and now having gained both the arm and the power of the void, further variables were likely.

However,

[If I acquire that, I won't need to regress anymore.]

The administrator's hand - its value shook Martial God's resolve.

[Time that has already become countless.]

Originally, strength and authority had steadily grown, but recently, they had stagnated. The more power they garnered, the more apparent this stagnation became.

Martial God, though known for his patience, found himself stirred by the notion of achieving his goal and ending the repetitive cycle.

[If I can secure that, I can accomplish my goal and end this endless life.]

Ending the cycle resonated deeply with Martial God, shaking his usual stance.

Had the arm remained in Seong Jihan's inventory, thoughts of forfeiting the time to secure it would not have arisen.

Flash!

Martial God kept his gaze fixated on Seong Jihan's arm.

[If he is overtaken by the red energy, I will have my chance.]

Absorbing that arm would end everything.

The endless, tiresome cycle would conclude, and he could redesign the world as a permanent administrator.

[Until I obtain that arm, I will hold off.]

In an uncharacteristically rash decision, Martial God resolved not to turn the Golden Wheel just yet.

* * *

Following Seong Jihan's sudden broadcast,

[The Abyss in North Korea vanishes, along with the dungeon portals.]

[Identity of the vanquished Abyss owner revealed... Similar to Seong Jihan.]

[Is the Humanity Annihilation scenario resolved? Despite Abyss's disappearance, questions remain.]

[Seong Jihan sets new viewership records on BattleTube, breaking his own records.]

Articles on this topic poured in from across nations.

Given that Seong Jihan battled an entity identified as the Abyss owner he had previously faced in the Humanity Annihilation scenario, interest in his channel reached an all-time high.

"Haah... The news keeps updating but why isn't Uncle back yet?"

Yoon Seah sighed as she browsed on her smartphone.

Although Seong Jihan's broadcast had ended, and news reports were flooding in, he hadn't yet returned even though it was a quick trip from Pyongyang to Seoul for him.

[Jihan must have entered the training room.]

"Mom... Is that so?"

[Yes. Having implanted both the administrator's arm and the power of the Lost Soul, he'll be testing for any side effects before coming home.]

"Understood. But it feels weird with you home, Mom."

[Does it?]

Yoon Seah looked curiously at Seong Jiah, who had brought her home.

"I never thought I'd be able to come back home with you."

[Yeah. I have nowhere else to go.]

"Right, you have to stay with me! But why are you floating?"

[Well.]

Seong Jiah, who was floating in the air, descended slightly.

Crash...!

The marble floor immediately cracked.

[I'm a bit heavy.]

"Ah, because you're stone..."

[Yes. And the void flows through me. I shouldn't damage the house.]

"Uncle better hurry and bring the key."

[Key? That's...]

As they conversed, the door alarm buzzed urgently, and Yoon Sejin rushed inside.

"Ji... Jiah! You're back...!"

Tears welled up in his eyes as he ran over.

[Stop there, Yoon Sejin.]

Swish...

A purple mist formed between Yoon Sejin and Seong Jiah, especially thickly around Seong Jiah's face.

"Mom, why is it more concentrated around your face...?"

[Yoon Sejin won't see my face except for signing the divorce papers.]

"Divorce...!?"

Yoon Seah was shocked, but Seong Jiah's resolve was firm.

[Yes. How can I live with a man who abandoned his daughter for another woman?]

"That... That was due to being brainwashed...!"

[The cause is irrelevant to me. The result is what matters.]

Though Seong Jiah was in statue form, a murderous aura radiated from her eyes.

[I've seen too many worlds. That man always fell for Shizuru and abandoned you. You were always kicked out of this house, living with Jihan in a basement flat until you died young. You struggled to even find a part-time job because you were Yoon Sejin's daughter...]

"But... that didn't happen this time! You can't just serve divorce papers over events from worlds that might not exist..."

[I'm aware. That's why I'm just showing my killing intent, not actually harming him. For now.]

Swish...

Despite being the strongest constellations currently, Seong Jiah was holding back her void power.

[Though Yoon Sejin didn't drive you to your death this time, you have your uncle to thank for that. Your dad barely regained his senses and managed minimal atonement. So, I'm restraining myself from crushing his head and only seeking a divorce.]

"Mom... you've become quite aggressive."

[Aggressive? I'm holding back a lot. I'm mad enough at your uncle, and now seeing that man is pushing me over the edge.]

"And what did Uncle do?"

[He ignored me and pushed himself!]

Crunch.

Seong Jiah clenched her fist, dropping violet stone dust.

[I warned him not to, even sponsoring my entire fortune, but he implanted the arm! And he let his face crack! Ugh... Why are the men in this family so reckless?]

"Are you including Dad as family?"

[Oh, yeah. No, he isn't anymore.]

Seeing Seong Jiah's outburst, Yoon Sejin stood there confused, then knelt in front of the violet mist.

"...I'm sorry. No amount of apology can right what happened. Even seeing Seah reminds me of that time, and it hurts."

[That time? When you were with Shizuru?]

"Mom! Can you not say something like that in front of your daughter?"

[You're an adult now. And you, are you satisfied with just apologizing?]

"...No. I'll prepare the divorce papers."

Yoon Sejin hung his head.

Despite being brainwashed by Shizuru, it didn't erase the consequences.

Seong Jihan and Yoon Seah had easily forgiven him, but Seong Jiah's condemnation was suffocating.

'This is a deserved rebuke.'

Part of him wanted her to further ridicule him.

"And... I'll leave this house. You need to live here."

"Dad! Where will you go?"

"...Some empty rooms under the Sword Palace. Can I stay there?"

[Hah, the basement here? Ideally, you'd be in Jeju, or better yet, on the other side of the Earth.]

"Mom! That's too much!"

Seong Jiah reluctantly nodded at Yoon Seah's intervention.

[...Seems Seah still follows you. Are you a fool? Don't you remember what your dad did?]

"That was due to brainwashing!"

Scratching her cheek, Yoon Seah added,

"Besides, I wasn't too troubled thanks to Uncle. He snapped out of it and took care of everything."

[...Jihan did? I liked him this time, except for not listening to me.]

"Exactly! So, don't be too hard on Dad. No need to send him to the other side of the planet!"

[...Fine. Thank Seah for it. Live wherever, just stay out of my sight.]

"Thank you..."

Yoon Sejin bowed deeply.

No matter how brainwashed he'd been, the consequences couldn't be erased.

Seong Jihan's intervention had saved him.

"...What are you all doing?"

Swoosh.

Seong Jihan entered through the living room window, looking at the gathered family with a puzzled expression.

* * *

Seeing Seong Jihan entering through the veranda window, Seong Jiah crossed her arms.

[Jihan, why use the veranda when there's a door?]

"It's quicker."

[But it startles people!]

"You've not lived here recently, I always enter this way."

[Really... Always an answer for everything!]

"All right, enough nagging. Here."

Flick.

Seong Jihan tossed the key to Seong Jiah.

"Stop being a rock, and turn back into a person."

[You... I spent all my money sponsoring you to not worry about me! You ignored that too?]

"102.1 million GP is all your money? How poor are you?"

[I spent it all on a race change kit!]

"That useless thing? Talk about waste."

[What! Hey!]

"Enough. I'll refund you."

Seong Jihan transferred the GP. Seong Jiah accepted it quietly.

Yoon Seah remarked,

"Mom and Uncle always fight as soon as they meet."

"Just like old times."

"But what's going on? Brother-in-law is kneeling."

[We're getting a divorce.]

"Oh, really?"

Seong Jihan nodded nonchalantly at Seong Jiah's words.

"...Uncle, aren't you affected?"

"I expected this when I heard she retained her memories."

"Really?"

Had he borne such dark memories multiple times, he'd have imprisoned Yoon Sejin whether brainwashed or not.

For Yoon Sejin, this outcome was fortunate.

"...Brother-in-law. Or should I just call you Jihan now? How's your body? That arm... alright?"

"Oh, this arm."

Seong Jihan raised his right arm.

The back of his hand faintly gleamed with a red eye.

A reddish haze seemed to emanate but quickly returned to the original skin tone.

"Still manageable."

His hand appeared largely controlable, apart from the eye.

Glancing at it, Seong Jihan thought back to his time at the training center before coming home.

'For now... it's under control.'

Reflecting on the training sessions reminded him how crucial self-discipline and control had become, given the drastic changes.