Chapter 25 ….
EX-Rank Past Life Picked
Giiiiik.
Giiiiiiik.
An unknown sound echoed through the space.
The air was damp—humid, hot, yet somehow cold at the same time.
A place filled with alien, contradictory sensations.
Through such a place, a massive figure slowly walked down the corridor.
“Tch.”
The giant’s face was openly displeased. Irritation mixed with a clear sense that something rubbed him the wrong way.
The cause was likely the tiny smartphone in his hand.
[Mad Dog Wei Ajun, brutally defeated by the new rookie, Martial God.]
[A duel that didn’t even last one minute. China’s symbol humiliated…]
[Just who exactly is Martial God?]
[With the emergence of a new SS-rank superhuman almost certain… public attention is now focused on Irene and Martial God…]
The screen was filled with articles.
As the giant read them, he ground his teeth.
Crunch.
The phone in his hand was crushed to pieces.
“Ah, damn it.”
He had only bought it recently, and he’d already broken it again.
He thought he might use this one a little longer—but apparently not.
Clicking his tongue in regret, the giant shook his hand.
Fragments of the phone fell clattering to the floor.
After brushing off his hand, he resumed walking.
Ahead stood an iron door—his destination.
Stopping before it, the giant spoke.
“Boss. May I come in?”
There was no reply.
Only silence brushed past.
Sensing that, he spoke again.
“Boss. May I come—”
Creeeeak.
Instead of an answer, the door opened.
That was enough.
The giant stepped through the iron door on his own.
Inside was dark, lit only by a dim green glow.
“How’s the condition?”
The giant asked as he entered.
At his words, something crouched at the center slowly opened its eyes.
“…Who knows.”
“What do you mean ‘who knows’? You look terrible at a glance.”
Heh heh.
The giant let out a stream of laughter.
At that reaction, the green-eyed being stared at him.
Meeting that gaze, the giant flinched.
“Ohoho…! Just kidding. Just a joke.”
Raising his hands as if to calm things down, he watched as the being closed its eyes again.
Then it asked,
“How is the clown?”
“One arm got blown off, but the treatment’s finished. He looks pretty pathetic… though the way there’s fire in his eyes, it feels like he’s started revving up again.”
“I see.”
“Was there really any need to keep that idiot alive?”
The giant couldn’t understand the being’s choice.
“He lost to some brat whose blood hasn’t even dried yet. On top of that, he ruined a plan we’d carefully built up. I really don’t see why we’re letting him live.”
If it were him, he would’ve taken care of it long ago.
The giant swallowed those words.
But as if it already knew what he was thinking, the being looked at him with half-lidded eyes.
“The clown will be needed going forward. That means he still has value.”
“Hmmm… if you say so.”
He didn’t argue further.
After all, the being’s word was law.
“I don’t really care what that firestarter did,” the giant said, irritation creeping back into his voice.
“What matters is—”
His frustration finally found its target.
“Why did you stop me from meeting that guy, Martial God? That’s all I want to know.”
The S-rank Gate, the Colosseum.
The giant had been on his way there, but the being had stopped him.
“If you had gone, do you think you would’ve won?”
The being asked sincerely.
“Well, who knows? Since I don’t know, I’d have fought him first.”
The giant grinned.
Martial God—
A monster who had crushed even Wei Ajun.
Even so, the giant wanted to fight him.
At that reaction, the being tilted its head slightly.
“The Archmage. Even if that one hadn’t gone, Kim Yujin and Wei Ajun did. You would not have been able to defeat them.”
“So you’re saying I couldn’t beat Martial God either?”
“It means it would have been a pointless expenditure. Do you need more explanation?”
“Tch.”
Fire flickered in the green eyes.
Seeing that gaze, the giant clicked his tongue.
He knew he couldn’t push this any further.
“Follow the plan. What matters in the end is our objective.”
“Yes. I know.”
He knew—that was why he had obeyed without complaint when told not to go.
Which was why—
“…So this time, it’s okay if I run wild, right?”
He’d held back once.
Surely now he could cut loose.
At those words, the being nodded.
“Yes.”
“Hmmm.”
Satisfied, the giant nodded back—then added as if something had just occurred to him,
“Oh, but… Lee Jinwoo, was it? I know I’m supposed to kill him, but… if I do that, won’t the clown go berserk?”
He recalled that gaze—the one that clearly said don’t touch what’s mine.
It had been a long time since he’d seen eyes like that.
Which was why—
“If he does go berserk, can I fight him?”
If the clown stepped in, surely fighting would be allowed?
He spoke with anticipation—
But was immediately shut down.
“I will deal with the clown myself. You focus solely on your mission.”
“…That’s a shame.”
Blocked outright, the giant smacked his lips in disappointment.
“I will follow the order.”
“There is an Archmage in that space as well.”
Ssshh.
As if cold, the being pulled a thick cloth around its body.
“I’ll make sure that one is put to sleep too. Focus on what you’ve been assigned.”
“Yes, yes.”
Turning his back, the giant nodded.
“I’ll do as you say.”
An assassination that didn’t suit him.
It bothered him—but he decided to simply follow orders.
“Then, I’ll bring you that brat’s head.”
Lee Jinwoo.
The man who had interfered with their plans.
With that, the giant exited the room.
“……”
Only after he left did the being close its eyes again.
[Grrrrk.]
[Grrrrrr.]
An unknown sound brushed past his ears.
A chill crept down his spine.
“…Just who…”
Narrowing his eyes, he pondered.
“…Who are you?”
Who could it be?
[■ Korka is in pain.]
[■ Unable to endure the backlash.]
[■ Korka lets out a scream.]
Who was the being that had caused such agony to the god he served?
The being—
Known as the Apostle of Korka—
Let out a low groan as it thought.
We traveled in a black car.
By now, it was a familiar vehicle.
The armored car rode smoothly—so stable that if I relaxed even a little, I felt like I might drift off to sleep.
Then—
“How is your condition?”
Jeon Yuseon asked.
“My condition? Ah, I’m fine.”
“That’s good. You don’t need to be nervous. Today is simply for measuring your rank.”
“…Haha.”
Don’t be nervous?
I let out a short laugh at the absurdity.
…How am I not supposed to be nervous?
I’d already heard.
That reporters were everywhere.
The announcement of a new knight order,
And that Hail Irene would be appointed as its commander.
That alone had drawn attention from all directions.
And naturally, interest had also converged on me—the only current member of the knight order.
Ding.
My phone buzzed.
It was a message from Jin Gyeongbeom.
[You getting there okay lol?]
[Reporters were everywhere. Lucky you?]
…That bastard.
Who does he think he’s teasing?
No—he really was teasing me.
I held back a sigh.
At that moment, Jeon Yuseon spoke again.
“Oh, by the way—did you hear about what happened yesterday?”
“Yesterday—?”
“The Colosseum.”
“Oh. Yes, I heard.”
Heard about it?
I’d participated.
“Thanks to that, the Association is in quite an uproar. For an S-rank Gate to appear and leave no aftermath at all—it’s unprecedented.”
“Is that really something to be upset about?”
At my question, Jeon Yuseon smiled slightly.
“It is. Because rewards were given to those who participated—and won.”
“…Ah. Rewards.”
“Yes. They each received one item from their opponent.”
“……”
I already knew.
I’d been one of them.
“As you know, all participants were S-rank superhumans. Naturally, the items they possessed were extraordinary. Among them were items that—”
“…Need to be managed by the state?”
“Exactly.”
Jeon Yuseon nodded.
Items directly managed by the state and loaned out to superhumans of a certain rank.
S-rank superhumans often used equipment appropriate to their status.
Those who entered the Colosseum had likely done the same.
The problem was the assumption that kept this system functioning—
“Items could be brought into a Gate, but they were never lost.”
Since it was consciousness that moved, items accompanied it, but normally, once the Gate ended, the items returned.
That was why even state-managed equipment could be loaned out freely.
“But this time, a problem occurred.”
Loaned items were taken by opponents.
“…Other countries are the same, but Korea has also been affected. Because of that, emergency diplomatic talks are being arranged.”
“I see…”
I nodded in understanding.
Then—
“But is it really okay to tell me this?”
It sounded like sensitive information.
In response—
“You’re becoming a knight.”
“…Ah.”
Superhumans affiliated with the government and the Association.
Becoming a knight meant exactly that.
It made sense that I was entitled to hear such things.
Just then, as if on cue, the car stopped.
“Please get out.”
“Yes…”
As I opened the door and stepped out, light poured down on me just like last time.
Click, click—!!
“Superhuman Lee Jinwoo!”
“Please look this way!”
Enduring the still-unfamiliar shutter sounds, I followed Jeon Yuseon inside.
We entered the Association headquarters.
Inside, reporters were everywhere as well.
After walking through the lobby for several minutes—
At the center of the interior—
I saw a strangely familiar machine.
“That’s the rank measurement device.”
“Oh.”
It looked similar to the one I’d seen at the Incheon branch.
But this one was far larger.
So that’s it.
The machine that would determine my rank.
I felt tense.
…My current state…
[■ Rank measurement required. The system is assessing the level of the Heavenly Demon. (92%… 93%…)]
The percentage was still rising.
The necklace around my neck clinked softly.
The sword that had originally appeared as the Heavenly Demon Divine Blade—that was it.
I’d wondered how I was supposed to carry something that heavy.
But when I tried to leave, the sword suddenly transformed into a necklace.
Thanks to that, I could come out comfortably.
“Normally, rank measurement should be conducted in complete secrecy… but given the circumstances, it’s been made public.”
Was this about proving my qualifications, since I’d essentially parachuted in?
Will this be okay?
As I felt a little uneasy—
“…Ready?”
A slender voice reached my ears.
I turned my head.
It was Irene, entering alongside Baek Hyunho.
She looked at me with her usual indifferent eyes.
“…Go ahead.”
She didn’t look particularly interested.
If anything, her attention seemed elsewhere.
Aside from her gaze—
Everyone else’s eyes were fixed on me.
My heart pounded.
[■ …97% …98%]
The percentage continued to rise.
Watching it, I reached out.
Toward the machine.
Click click!
The shutter sounds continued.
My hand touched the sphere attached to the machine—
Vwoooooooong—!!!!
The machine began to vibrate.
At the same time—
[■ Grade assessment of the Heavenly Demon Divine Blade complete.]
[■ System is calibrating the power of the Divine Blade.]
[■ Heavenly Demon (A) is being overlaid onto you.]
Fwoooooosh—!!!!
The machine erupted in a brilliant red light…
