Chapter 95
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: The Ultimate Master's Return to Bronze
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"This is... what the hell..."
In-ho, suddenly robbed of Ignis, stared at Shin-hyeok with the same venomous glare he might reserve for some punk who'd stolen his girlfriend.
"I have no idea either."
"......"
Of course, Shin-hyeok had no clue about Ignis's abrupt betrayal.
'Does it remember my past life? No, even if it did, Ignis and I clashed endlessly as enemies back then. For it to suddenly refuse to fight me now, spit out the Ember of Extinction Flame it got as payment, and betray him? That's fishy.'
Ignis couldn't possibly have memories from before his regression. And even if it did, Shin-hyeok knew better than anyone that it wasn't the type to give up something in its grasp just to avoid making an enemy of him.
Besides, Ignis had said something before betraying him.
'The moment it heard Uncle say he wouldn't kill me, it flipped. Meaning it thought he planned to. But the contractor refused, so it betrayed him. Which means... it really doesn't want to cross me. Enough to insist on killing me right here if it had to.'
Won't kill me, so it betrays.
From that single clue, Shin-hyeok pieced it together and confirmed it with Ignis.
"Did you betray him because you don't want to make an enemy of me? Uncle said he wouldn't kill me, so you're worried I'll hold a grudge after this summoning?"
-...Impressive. You saw right through it. As expected of the one who will be king...
"The one who will be king? And why are you suddenly so polite? That's not like you."
-You even know my personality? Truly worthy of kingship...
"...No, seriously, what's this 'one who will be king' stuff?"
Shin-hyeok shot back, unnerved by Ignis's uncharacteristically deferential attitude—a side he'd never seen, not even once before his regression.
It felt like watching a rowdy friend suddenly pretend to be a model citizen.
Ignis responded by extending a finger made of flame, pointing at the sword aura and spear aura infused with spirit power.
-That power is granted only to those destined to become kings. When you sense it, you have just two choices: kill them or befriend them. The first isn't an option since my contractor forbids it. So only the latter remains.
"Even risking the penalty for breaking a contract?"
-Yes.
"...Fascinating."
Spirit power.
As Ignis described it, this force belonged to beings fated for kingship.
And Shin-hyeok knew exactly what "king" meant here.
'Spirit King. And the constellations on par with them.'
The Spirit King, sovereign over all spirits.
Constellations equivalent to that Spirit King.
Spirit power was bestowed upon those who achieved feats worthy of legend.
Shin-hyeok himself had earned it—not just by enduring the gaze of constellations as a mere player, but by devouring them through his Predation trait and stealing their accomplishments.
Stacking such legendary feats endlessly led to transcendence, like becoming a Spirit King or constellation.
"So you're on my side now?"
-Precisely! Leave that human to me! And remember my name well, Ignis—don't forget it even after you ascend to kingship!
"A spirit who knows how to invest. Leagues above some sewer clown. Fine, I'll remember your name."
-Thank you! I'll give it my all!
Ignis had boldly bet on Shin-hyeok becoming such a being.
It forfeited the Ember of Extinction Flame given as payment and even accepted the future penalties for breaching its contract.
Not content with that, it bowed its waist sharply, like a new hire before the chairman.
A top-grade spirit like Ignis could rival even Challenger-tier players.
Of course, in this dimension where the Integrated League hadn't opened yet, it couldn't unleash its full power—but even so, it was strong enough to flip the battle between Shin-hyeok and In-ho on its head.
'This is wild. The rabid dog Ignis acting all deferential. If I could show this to pre-regression Ignis, it'd lose its mind.'
Shin-hyeok was far more intrigued by Ignis's attitude than its power, which he'd long known.
This deference was a first.
But right now, neither the investment genius Ignis, the sycophantic master Ignis, nor the top-grade spirit Ignis mattered.
"Well, Uncle? What's your next move?"
"......"
What mattered was In-ho, utterly screwed.
He'd staked everything, only to be crushed by the investment genius and sycophantic master Ignis.
The Ember of Extinction Flame sat in his hand as consolation, and Ignis would pay the breach penalty later—but present and future riches couldn't block the spear and sword before him.
In the end, In-ho—
"G-Give it back."
"Hm? Give what back?"
"My spirit! My contract! The thing you stole from me!!!"
—crumbled.
His face drained of color.
Trembling hands reached desperately toward Ignis as he begged and pleaded.
Defeat looming, his possessions stolen—the despair felt like the floor collapsing beneath him.
And since it came from the nephew he'd dismissed his entire life, that despair doubled, tripled, blotting out the sky and world, consuming In-ho's reality.
Shin-hyeok watched In-ho's twisted, crumbling face and arrogant facade with cold indifference, then chuckled and patted Ignis's shoulder.
"Why is it your spirit, your contract?"
"...What?"
Shin-hyeok dealt the final blow, pulling a classic "Why is this your money?" on him, like some scam site declaring bankruptcy.
"Deal with him. Don't kill him. He's family, after all—killing my uncle would be a bit much. He didn't really want me dead anyway."
-Yes, sir!
As Shin-hyeok withdrew, dismissing the sword and spear auras around his holy sword and magic spear without a second glance at In-ho, Ignis strode forward.
It ignited the primordial flames inherited from the Fire Spirit King.
Flames far superior to the flames now embodied in In-ho's flesh.
Flames so primal that even True Flame paled before them.
The moment they surged toward In-ho—
Szzzzzzzzz!
"Gaaahhhh!!!"
In-ho learned that even fire could burn.
That was the end of the duel between Shin-hyeok and In-ho.
* * *
Szzzzz—
Accompanied by the crackling of burning flesh, In-ho lay half-charred, already passed out.
No matter that he was called the pinnacle of fire magic with immense flame resistance—he was a firefly before the sun against Ignis wielding primordial flames.
By then, Shin-hyeok had reached his limit too, so he dispelled the Colosseum.
"Time for you to head back."
-Yes, sir!
Of course, he didn't forget to reverse-summon Ignis first.
But before leaving, Ignis had one more thing.
-Oh, right—this is my contract seal. Call on me if you need anything later!
"You're even giving me a contract seal?"
-Well, it won't be free service like this time. First one's a taste; second's business.
"Worth paying for a contract with a spirit of your caliber."
-Heh, you recognize my worth. Until next time!
Szzzt!
Ignis etched its contract seal onto the back of Shin-hyeok's hand.
A contract seal granted summoning rights.
It was permission to contract—though each summon required payment, without the seal, no amount of payment would work.
That's why so many sought out contract seals, scrambling far and wide.
'Uncle having Ignis's contract seal is suspicious in that light. Pre-regression, the Integrated League was open, so it made sense. But now? Way before that. Connected to the Ember of Extinction Flame, maybe.'
Even high-tier players in the Integrated League struggled for such things, yet here on Earth, pre-League, In-ho had one.
Shin-hyeok's suspicions about In-ho deepened.
From the Ember of Extinction Flame to the contract seal.
Too many red flags.
'I'll look into it later.'
He might uncover secrets from his past life he never knew.
That could help devour the Myth Guild whole.
Shin-hyeok filed away today's intel and dispelled the Colosseum.
The sight that greeted him was the national team surrounding the arena.
Cameras couldn't penetrate the Colosseum, so they'd waited outside for a clear view.
What they saw: Shin-hyeok standing alone, In-ho a charred wreck.
"...He beat the team leader?"
"This is real?"
"Shin-hyeok's about to claim the throne..."
"We might be witnessing history."
Shin-hyeok's face was pale, using his holy sword and magic spear as crutches, but he stood.
In-ho? Not even breathing reliably.
No one missed who won.
As they marveled and nodded—
"...But won't the team leader die like that?"
"Gasp!"
"M-Medical team!!!"
Someone remembered, and they frantically called for medics.
The rushing team loaded the charred In-ho onto a stretcher and raced to the treatment center.
Only then did the national team exhale in relief.
Missing the golden hour could've left permanent damage—or worse, pinned blame on them.
With the crisis past, curiosity flooded in.
"Team leader had the edge before the Colosseum. How'd you turn it around?"
"Idiot—Colosseum buffs and debuffs. Plenty to flip the odds."
"Ugh, dying to know. Junior—give us the rundown on the fight?"
They badgered Shin-hyeok for details on the duel and his victory.
His answer was simple.
"So... anyone opposed to me joining the national team?"
"Uh..."
"Nope..."
"Raise a hand and vanish, probably."
"Agreed."
In the end, all this stemmed from his national team entry.
And Shin-hyeok had wrapped it up flawlessly.
He'd crushed the lowest rung alone, then bested the top dog, team leader In-ho.
No one opposed the unprecedented entry test he'd aced.
Thus, Shin-hyeok gloriously joined the national team.