REAPER SCANS
The Martial God Who Regressed to Level 2
[Translator – SCM]
[Proofreader – ilafy]
Chapter 526
The return of the Bloom Guild’s owner was essential to completing the certification process. Doing something like that would basically be the same as admitting he’d returned.
Although it was regrettable that the guild had declined, it would be meaningless to step forward after having used the Phantom Flame.
'Instead, I'll help indirectly through Kim JiHun's body.'
The contract terms just needed to be roughly filled. That in mind, JiHan received a full guild tour from HaYeon.
'There are still quite a few players on loan for growth. Why has it fallen so much?'
In its prime, the Bloom Guild had earned a lot of money. Even while touring the guild, there were quite a few players there on loan for growth. If they collected money from them, even in the new era of half-elves, they could have incorporated more people.
"This space is used as the guild's warehouse… Would you like to take a look inside?"
"The warehouse?" Seeing the room HaYeon pointed to, his eyes sparkled.
"Yes."
'This was definitely prepared as the owner's room before…'
Although he'd founded the Bloom Guild, JiHan had rarely visited the office. Still, since he was the owner, HaYeon had prepared the best room in the guild for him.
They’d ended up turning it into a warehouse?
"May I take a look?"
"Of course." HaYeon swiped her card, and the door opened.
Beep—
JiHan followed her into the owner's-room-turned-warehouse.
'What the…?' The walls were densely covered with posters of his face.
- Record erasure should never happen.
- After what the World Tree elves did, do you still trust them?
- He's definitely going to return.
Below the photos were words written in large letters. The posters were mostly in foreign languages rather than Korean, and all of them opposed JiHan's record erasure.
'Was the Bloom Guild on the opposing side back then?'
Feeling a strange sensation, JiHan quickly scanned through the interior, seeing documents scattered messily on the floor. Among them, one document detailed the advertising budget spent to reject Yggdrasil's proposal.
'So this is where all the money went…' They had spent all their money on trying to change public opinion and prevent JiHan's record erasure.
He stared blankly at the papers on the floor.
"Ah, do you know what those characters mean?"
"The ones on the papers?"
"Yes, nobody can interpret them, but you’re staring at them so intently."
JiHan picked up a nearby paper—a contract termination notice from America First—and quietly read over how they had opposed the U.S.'s stance of prioritizing survival, causing the contract to be terminated.
He slowly shook his head. "No, I'm not sure."
"Ah… right."
"By the way, what's up with the whiskey over there?" JiHan pointed to a half-empty bottle of whiskey and some snack bags.
"Again…?" GaYeong let out a deep sigh and bowed her head deeply to HaYeon. "I'm sorry! Miss, despite there being many bars within this building, I came to this empty warehouse to drink and didn't clean up!"
"Is… is that so…? Well, just don't do it again." HaYeon, her face bright red, waved her hands dismissively.
"Thank you so, so much for forgiving me," GaYeong said in a tone that showed no remorse. It was obvious she'd taken the blame for something HaYeon had done.
'Why does she drink in the warehouse?' JiHan briefly wondered.
"W-well… Shall we leave now?" HaYeon suggested they leave.
He readily nodded. There was nothing left to see in the warehouse.
As they left the room, JiHan spoke up. "The guild is nice."
"Th-thank you."
"Yes. I especially like the growth increase option. While I'm on my way to the Governor-General's office, could you tell me about the contract terms?"
HaYeon blinked. For a male half-elf, the growth increase was honestly an unnecessary option, and he liked it?
'He didn't get plastic surgery before the test, and now this… Maybe he doesn't know much about this world?' HaYeon couldn't help but think that.
"U-understood."
"I'd like to head to the Governor-General's office now."
"Yes, I'll call for the driver…" She’d already started the call when she suddenly changed her mind. "No, we'll take you there ourselves."
"You're going to take me yourself?"
"Yes. It's only natural. After all, you're our esteemed guest."
Was she worried that he might get scouted by another guild while at the Governor-General's office?
'Things are really bad.'
Well, he didn't have any intention of going anywhere else. As long as HaYeon was keeping an eye on him, other guilds wouldn't dare to approach him carelessly.
JiHan nodded at her suggestion. "Alright. Let's do that."
"Yes. GaYeong, let's go."
"I'll get ready right away."
The three of them headed to the parking lot and entered a parked luxury sedan before heading to the Governor-General's office in Nansam.
On the way to their destination, after talking with Kim JiHun, Lee HaYeon thought, 'This isn't someone who doesn't understand the world. In fact… it seems that he knows everything.'
She instinctively felt that JiHun wasn't an easy person to deal with. If she tried to play tricks on him, she might ruin things, concluding that based on her experience of having met many people in the industry.
"Male half-elves are generally passive about playing games. After all, they level up even while sleeping."
"What do you mean?"
"Our guild's growth increase might not have much effect on a half-elf." She was honest.
"I know that."
"You do?"
"Yes. After all, it comes up even with a quick search online."
"Then why…?"
"I used to be a fan. There's also something about the growth increase that I wanted to test."
"Ah…" So he knew everything. HaYeon felt more comfortable when she heard that since it meant he was going to choose the Bloom Guild no matter what.
"We're here."
Screech—
After the car parked, JiHun got out and said, "Just make the contract terms reasonable. Then we'll proceed."
"Ah… Yes! We’ll be waiting here!"
"I don't know how long the detailed examination will take."
"We'll wait even if it takes many days!"
JiHun chuckled at HaYeon's enthusiastic response. "Alright. I'll be back."
When JiHun entered the Governor-General's office, HaYeon pinched her cheek. "Is this real…?"
"This feels like a dream. A male half-elf who's aware of the entire situation wants to join the guild?"
"Even though he said that, we should still try to give him the best possible contract, right?"
"Yes. After all, even if we did our best, it would be reasonable by other guilds’ standards."
"That's true."
A male half-elf with a 20% compatibility rate would be offered a blank check by any guild. For the financially struggling Bloom Guild, even their best offer would be below average.
"Let's try to push it as much as we can…" HaYeon pondered the contract terms to propose to Kim JiHun once he returned.
Meanwhile, JiHan, in Kim JiHun's shell, entered the Governor-General's office.
"Over here." Guided by an elf, he was led to the World-Tree-shaped Governor General's office.
* * *
Reaper Scans
Translator - SCM
Proofreader - ilafy
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The giant tree was more imposing than the former Namsan Tower.
'This is just a World Tree… and a fairly high-ranking one at that.' JiHan thought while looking at the Governor-General's office. Compared to the World Trees he'd seen before, the Governor-General's office was significantly larger.
Given the overwhelming amount of Life Energy flowing out of it, Cosmic Tree Yggdrasil had put considerable effort into its creation.
'But how do I get in?' JiHan pondered.
"We will now begin the detailed examination." A green light from the elf priestess who greeted him; roots imbued with emerald light rose from beneath JiHan's feet and enveloped him.
After the roots completely covered him, the elf priestess calmly said, "Relax and accept the World Tree's energy."
The roots glowed. JiHan followed the instructions and relaxed.
WHOOM—!
The roots pulled him into the ground, and after moving for a few minutes, he fell into a dark space.
"Hmm…" To avoid seeming too composed, he let out a slight groan and stood up. Just when he started to look around, green words started to float up.
[Detailed examination is starting.]
[Blue affinity test.]
[Blue Sword compatibility re-examination. Current: 20%.]
The elven language was unreadable to humans. Having obtained Red, JiHan could easily interpret it.
'I understand the detailed examination and affinity test… but what's ‘Blue Sword’?'
Seeing how the compatibility rate was 20%, it was exactly like the male half-elf compatibility rate. Did they refer to male half-elves as ‘Blue Swords’?
Blue smoke rose.
'This is modified Blue…' The smoke was designed to be absorbed just by breathing it. Were they trying to test how much of it he could make his? 'If I deviate too much from the average, it will raise suspicions.'
JiHan decided not to interfere with Kim JiHun's body and waited.
Swoosh—
Blue energy seeped into JiHun's body through his nose, mouth, and even skin, but it soon leaked back out.
'Without my interference, it isn't being absorbed.' Although JiHun's shell rejected the Blue, the test didn't end there, and blue smoke began rising again.
‘This might take a while. I should look around in the meantime.'
JiHan looked around from within the shell, completely hiding his status as a Blue Administrator as he began exploring the interior of the World Tree.
In a faraway place, he heard elves talking. "I thought that a peculiar case had finally emerged… but this Blue Sword candidate seems to be no different."
"Still, let's proceed with the detailed examination as planned."
"Yes."
"How far has the World Tree's root spread?"
"It has taken over 82% of the planet."
"It will take about a year to reach 100%."
The elf priestesses were talking while monitoring JiHun's test results.
The one in the middle had blond and green hair. She seemed to be of a high rank. "Yggdrasil ordered a system transition if Blue Sword compatibility rate doesn't improve within a year."
"A system transition…?"
"If the compatibility rate for a peaceful system is capped at 25%…" The elf priestess smiled. "We'll have to instill fear in them through oppression."
"So we finally can slaughter…!"
"No. Your involvement will be the last step."
"Ah… Understood." The other elf priestesses looked visibly disappointed.
'As expected of the elves. I wondered why they were ruling peacefully, but their true nature hasn't changed.'
Initially, they ruled peacefully to increase the compatibility rate. However, if the score didn't improve, they would transition the ruling system into a new one.
"We must complete the Blue Sword before the Red Administrator wakes up. With the arena master candidate absent, make sure to check the seal in Washington as well."
"Understood."
'Why are they mentioning the Red Administrator…? Do they think that the Red Administrator will ultimately win?' The Green Administrator had underestimated JiHan, thinking that he would lose in Heaven Net.
'Hmm…' JiHan felt a brief pang of displeasure at the thought of Yggdrasil looking down on him. 'I can use that misconception to my advantage…'
* * *
Reaper Scans
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