Chapter Title: Martial God (100%)
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⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ■ Contribution Rank 1. Martial God (100%) ■ Congratulations.
The ranking window floated high in the sky. Where there should have been a hundred names, only a single line remained.
Martial God.
I could only stare at that name in a daze.
"...Wow."
What the hell was going on...?
I didn't hide my trembling eyes and looked straight ahead. A vast wasteland stretched out before me. All from a single punch.
The shockwave from that one fist slicing through the air.
It had wiped out not just the monsters charging at the reincarnators, but even the rift that had been spewing them out.
"...This is fifty times the power?"
A 5,000% increase in might. It was an insane number on paper, sure. But I never imagined it would look like this.
Hiss.
Heat radiated toward me, so I glanced at my fist. Steam rose gently from the knuckles.
Heaven-Shattering Martial Art.
The skill I'd gained as my synchronization rate rose while recalling my past life. Yeah, a skill.
"...This is a skill."
All reincarnators inherit the techniques their past selves wielded, so mine should be no different.
"...But is something like this even possible?"
Could a single strike really end a Gate like that?
Not to mention...
"I've never even heard of buffs to stats because the rank didn't match."
Everything I'd studied. Not just that, but throughout centuries of Gates opening in history, nothing like this had ever happened.
Gates ramping up in danger level.
Someone getting a targeted buff.
"What in the world..."
What was my past life? What did this unheard-of EX-grade even mean? As I pondered that...
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ■ Congratulations! ■ Hidden Mission: Gate Clear Contribution 50%+. Perk 'I Did It Alone!' successful.
'Huh?'
Hidden mission?
What was that?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ■ Contribution 100% confirmed. High success rate enhances rewards. ■ Rewards granted upon return to the present world.
The system windows kept popping up. Rewards for clearing it?
"...They give this out because I took all the contribution solo?"
Never heard of something like that. I'd heard there were tons of Gate types, and rewards distributed to participants upon clear.
"But nothing like this."
Hidden missions and whatnot. Never heard a peep. Just a pile of firsts.
This wasn't easy. Where did I even start worrying? As I puzzled over it...
"...Hey!"
A sharp voice pierced my ears. I turned to see the Black Night Witch who'd spoken to me earlier.
"You. What the hell are you...?"
Her face was full of bewilderment.
"...What are you? Looks like at least S-rank to me. Why come as D-grade? Don't tell me, you too..."
She trailed off. Me, S-rank? She must've mistaken me from that one strike.
"...No... Never mind. What the hell was that for."
My shoulder itched a bit. As I started to scratch it mid her words...
Flinch!
I saw the Black Night Witch jolt back.
She was scared. Realizing she'd shown it, her face flushed red in an instant.
"...Tch..."
She reacted with frustration.
"Contribution 100%? First time seeing a number like that."
"Who the hell is that guy? Martial God? Ever heard of him?"
"First for me. What rank?"
"Wait, Martial God?"
As murmurs spread, someone piped up like they knew.
"Martial God? Oh, that guy who stirred up the community lately."
"Community? You mean... Oh!"
That sparked it.
"The black name."
"...That arrogant mage who name-dropped him?"
It was the incident that briefly lit up the reincarnator community. The first-ever colored name, and the first time the community servers crashed.
That event was now rippling out.
The Black Night Witch narrowed her eyes, clearly knowing it too.
"...You're that guy from back then. The black name. What rank are you? Did you know all this and show up?"
Know what? She was full of misunderstandings.
"What the hell are you-!"
She snapped again, fuming. Why was she so pissed? As I wondered if I should respond...
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ■ Gate closing. ■ Consciousness returning to the present world. ■ Good work.
The system message cut my mind off in an instant.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Gates first opened centuries ago in history.
Suddenly, a system appeared on ordinary Earth.
It warned humanity.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ■ Fail to block Gates, and contamination rises. ■ At 100% contamination, Earth perishes. ■ Save Earth.
Don't block the Gates, or Earth ends.
Many didn't grasp what that meant at first, but they learned soon enough.
When those aware of their past lives refused to enter Gates, and contamination rose...
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ■ Earth's contamination exceeds 10%. ■ Calamity manifests.
With Gates unblocked, contamination hit 10%.
That day.
Half of Russia vanished from Earth.
Monstrous horrors invaded, devouring not just Superhumans called reincarnators, but helpless civilians too.
Nearly half a year of brutal fighting repelled the invasion and cleared the beasts, but...
They lost half of Russia's land where the monsters poured out.
That's when they understood.
Just 10% did this. What if it climbed higher?
People finally woke up, and Superhumans started blocking Gates somehow. Time passed.
■ Contamination: 24%
Earth's current contamination level.
One more calamity after 10%. In the Pacific, but thorough prep let them block it with minimal damage.
Issues tied to Earth's survival.
That's why Superhumans—reincarnators—held such value.
Why expectations rode so high on them.
That space they'd longed to enter.
Proof and symbol of being a Superhuman, entering a Gate was a dream.
"...Ah..."
I'd finally gone to one.
I gasped raggedly the moment I opened my eyes.
Gates take the mind; the body stays in the real world.
They said returning brought weird nausea, and they were right.
'Stomach's churning.'
Unpleasant sensation. I propped myself up slightly, feeling it.
Outside was still dawn.
"...Ugh."
I rubbed my belly to soothe it.
Still couldn't believe it.
'I really went to a Gate.'
Did I actually go there? It all felt like a dream. As I sat there blankly...
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ■ Gate clear congratulations. ■ Acquiring rewards based on clear contribution. ■ Claim rewards now? [Y/N]
"Ah."
The system offered proof it wasn't a dream.
'Rewards.'
The ones you get for clearing a Gate. The [Y/N] buttons hovered before me. Pick one, I guess.
I carefully tapped Y with my finger.
✨ REWARD! ✨
A loud chime blared in my ears as my vision flashed.
Whirr.
Something spun before me.
At the same time.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ■ Combining with Hidden Mission clear reward. Rewards enhanced.
For soloing over 50% contribution? It merged with the hidden mission reward.
Thud.
A box dropped onto my thigh.
"What the?"
I squinted. About 30 cm across. A random box? What now?
■ Pandora's Box.
The system's name was already ominous. Pandora's Box, huh.
'They want me to open this...?'
Should I? As I stared...
■ Grants the opener the item they need most.
Even a helpful explanation. The item I need most?
'What's that?'
What did I need most right now? I didn't even know, but it did?
Curiosity burned. I slowly opened the box.
The lid lifted. Inside was pitch black, like it didn't want to show what was there.
'Something's in there, right...?'
I reached into the darkness. Then.
'Huh.'
Something grabbed. This it? I pulled it out. My hand emerged from the black, clutching it.
"...A handle?"
Some kind of handle. It kept pulling, long. Definitely not fitting in a 30 cm box.
As the shape clarified...
■ S-Grade Sacred Treasure.
The rank hit me.
'Holy shit.'
S-Grade Sacred Treasure?
'...Does that make sense?'
Gates sometimes dropped items they called Sacred Treasures.
S-Grade here meant...
'National-level.'
Items a whole nation manages. Price? Unthinkable.
And it pulled one for me? As something I needed?
Excitement surged. I yanked harder.
Grip.
'Huh?'
Something seized my wrist. Nothing visible, but the sensation hit.
"No good."
A voice followed.
"If we're giving something, it has to be proper." "Can't hand out something like this to such a narrow vessel."
A familiar old man's voice. Then.
Crunch!!
"...!!"
My hand got sucked back into the box. I released the handle. No way, my S-Grade Sacred Treasure...!
Panic was brief. My hand thrashed in the dark against my will, snagging something else and dragging it up.
What now? What emerged was a pale green orb.
I let go of an S-Grade Sacred Treasure for this little marble...?
Rage boiled up.
■ Illusion of Korka [SS].
The rank killed my anger instantly.
"...SS?"
SS-Grade Sacred Treasure. My eyes widened. I knew it. One of a kind in the world.
'The one in America.'
The only one on Earth, managed by the US as far as I knew.
'This jade orb is SS-Grade?'
What did it do?
■ Illusion of Korka [SS]
Of course I didn't know the name. As I wondered what this orb was...
Flash!!
Suddenly, the orb blazed with light. Then.
Thrust-!
"Guh!?"
It burrowed straight into my chest. Right at my heart.
The orb sank in, unleashing scorching heat.
"Grk...!!!"
I clutched my chest and collapsed. Agonizing pain.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ■ Illusion of Korka fuses with flesh. ■ Four Seasons God Korka takes note of his trace. ■ Korka rages at the human claiming his trace and lays a curse. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ■ Korka's curse fails. ■ Korka is bewildered. ■ Korka uses divine power to locate. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ■ Fails due to disparity in realm. ■ Backlash of failed tracking hits Korka due to realm gap. ■ Korka screams. ■ Korka collapses in pain. Fusion of illusion and flesh succeeds.
Unknown messages flooded in. The near-death pain vanished just as quick.
"Gulp.... Hah..."
Cold sweat poured as I rolled my eyes. Another message floated up.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ ✨ Illusion of Korka [SS] ⚠️ Low synchronization. Full power unavailable. 📋 Effects reduced. 👁️ Easily discerns essences of those under the Four Seasons God. 🛡️ Conversely, none under the Four Seasons God discerns your essence. 🔒 Effect sealed. 🔒 Effect sealed. 🔒 Effect sealed.
System windows piled up. Too many to read. My mind was blank.
"...Ugh."
What a mess. Clutching my still-tingling chest, I barely sat up. Then.
Knock knock knock.
A knock from outside, like no time to waste.
"Superhuman Lee Jin-woo...!"
The nurse's urgent voice. Here for a checkup at this hour?
I glanced at the door, weary. Then.
"The Association President is here...!"
"...Pardon?"
I froze at her words.
Who came...?