Chapter 678:

Chapter 678:

Side Story (7)

Seong Jihan silently observed Yoon Seah, who was warily eyeing him.

‘Is it thanks to 'Eternity'? She's recovered quite a bit.’

She looked much healthier than when the doctors had given up on her.

Physically, she didn't look much different from the healthy Yoon Seah from his original world.

Except...

"......"

She was glaring at him with her arms crossed—a stark contrast to her usual demeanor.

- It's the first time seeing Yoon Seah so prickly.

- Seriously, though, why is she wary of Seong Jihan? Doesn't he look the same?

- Right?

Even when she frequently appeared in the media as the world's number one ranked player,

Yoon Seah was often portrayed with a bright smile.

Seeing her sharply on guard against Seong Jihan was quite unexpected for the viewers.

Meanwhile...

"I am your uncle, you know."

"That's a lie."

Watching her guarded stance, Seong Jihan slowly opened his mouth to speak.

"Why do you think I'm not?"

"Because you don't smell like alcohol. And your eyes aren't glazed over."

She glanced around the room from her spot on the bed.

"The room is clean, too. No cigarette butts or empty bottles lying around."

Then, she tapped the bed she was lying on.

"Besides, there's no way Uncle would give up his own bed."

So, the reason she thought he was not her real uncle was because he didn't drink or smoke and gave up his bed for her?

- So in this world, Seong Jihan was just a gambling addict, huh.

- No wonder Korea ended up like this, lol.

- I didn't realize one person's choices could make such a big difference.

- Well, it depends on who that person is. Without Seong Jihan, we might've been relegated from the Space League Bronze tier.

As the viewers realized how much of a wreck this world's Seong Jihan was, watching Yoon Seah's reaction...

Bzzzz...

A message window appeared before Seong Jihan's eyes.

[Convince Yoon Seah of your identity.]

‘Convince her, huh.’

He needed to make her accept his existence in some way.

He let out a bitter smile as he looked at the still wary Yoon Seah.

Maybe beating up Jin Yuhua's gang would've been easier.

"What if I told you I've decided to live properly now?"

"That's impossible. When I begged you, crying my eyes out, you didn't even listen. You just kept telling me to bring you money, saying one big win would turn everything around!"

It seemed she had been holding in a lot, as she shouted angrily.

"I came to my senses after seeing you nearly die."

"......That's strange, too. I thought I died after being pushed from behind. How am I alive? And besides..."

Swoosh.

She touched her face with her hand.

"The scars on my face are completely gone. My body feels so good it doesn't even feel like mine... Such treatment isn't possible at a hospital. Did you do this?"

"Well, yes."

"That's also impossible for the uncle I know."

"Hmm."

From her perspective, it must seem strange.

It was suspicious enough that her gambling-addict uncle suddenly came to his senses.

But more unbelievable is that she, who was as good as dead, was completely healed.

Making her recognize him as this world's Seong Jihan seemed impossible.

"What did you do to me?"

"What did I do? I saved you. Healed your wrecked body. And while I was at it, I cleaned up the house."

"......"

"And I completed your Gift, 'Late Bloomer.'"

"My Gift...?"

Her eyes widened at his words.

"Status window."

She opened her status window and confirmed that her Gift had been upgraded.

'Late Bloomer,' which she had known as an F-rank ability until now.

"What... is this? This is ridiculous..."

The Gift had transformed upon Jin Yuhua's death.

It now had such immense growth potential that it left her astonished.

Well, it was the ability that allowed the real Yoon Seah to become the world's number one, and Jin Yuhua to reach second place in his previous life.

If he got too close to this world's Yoon Seah, there might be issues when he tried to wrap things up later.

Especially considering that when this world's Yoon Seah disappeared last time, there was a slight emergence of the Void.

It would be better to maintain some distance rather than forming attachments.

"Martial God... as in the God of Martial Arts? The incredibly powerful one."

"Suddenly using honorifics, are we?"

"Well, if you're a god, I thought I should..."

When he called himself the Martial God, she looked at him with eyes full of half-belief and half-doubt.

Well, if someone suddenly claimed to be the Martial God, you’d be skeptical.

Swoosh.

When he opened his hand.

Sssss...

Blue energy spread out, and the world began to distort.

Furniture like the bed and desk shattered.

Her body, lying on the bed, floated into the air.

"Now."

Snap!

When he snapped his fingers, the spreading blue energy was retracted.

The world returned to its original state.

The furniture and devices that seemed to have been destroyed were restored.

"Wow..."

She blinked repeatedly.

"My body is weak, so I can't show you more than this. Does this help you believe me?"

"Ah... Yes. But... why would someone like the Martial God attach himself to my uncle?"

"Because his Gift, 'Wanderer's Eye,' was my eye."

"Huh? That Gift that improved his gambling odds...?"

When he mentioned 'Wanderer's Eye,' the Gift that had been one of the reasons for his gambling addiction.

She made a puzzled expression.

She couldn't believe that an F-rank Gift was associated with the Martial God.

But...

"Wasn't your Gift an F-rank too?"

"Well, yes, but..."

She had just witnessed her own F-rank Gift, 'Late Bloomer,' transform completely.

Using her case as an example, he continued.

"The true essence of 'Wanderer's Eye' is the 'Eye of the Martial God.' The contractor, Seong Jihan, wished to save you at the cost of returning my eye."

"Then..."

"He asked me to help you until you can stand on your own."

Recalling the mission objective of convincing her, he told her that her goal was to 'become independent.'

"Become independent... But honestly, I was the one earning money."

"The independence he refers to isn't financial. It's about becoming independent as a player."

"As a player..."

"Yes. While 'Late Bloomer' is a powerful Gift, its essence is that of a growth-type Gift. You'll be helplessly destroyed if you're trampled before your vessel expands."

"So Uncle asked the Martial God to help me until I can stand on my own..."

When he nodded slowly, she thought for a moment and then carefully asked,

"...Then, will Uncle never return?"

"Who knows? That's not something for you to worry about right now."

"......"

"For now, focus on becoming independent."

If the conversation went on too long, he might slip up.

So Seong Jihan decided to cut off her questions here.

She looked at him silently for a moment.

"...Understood."

She nodded slowly.

[You have cleared the mission.]

A mission clear message appeared.

Even though he pretended to be the Martial God, as long as she'd accepted it, that was enough.

"Then, I look forward to your guidance..."

She got up from the bed and bowed respectfully.

"Lord Dongbang Sak."

At the end, she called him by an entirely unexpected name.

"......What?"

"I just remembered your name, Martial God... You're Lord Dongbang Sak, right?"

Why was she bringing up Dongbang Sak all of a sudden?

He frowned in bewilderment.

But she remained serious.