"......Where am I this time?"
After his meeting with Elder Cheok, Shin-hyeok had received a generous array of gifts. When he opened his eyes after waking from unconsciousness,
a strange ceiling greeted him.
It was unfamiliar, of course, but not uncomfortable in the slightest.
The bed beneath him was soft, the room's interior was impeccably neat, and the sunlight pouring in through the window was endlessly warm.
What mattered, however, was why he was here.
Fortunately, those who could answer that question soon appeared.
"Son, are you all right?"
"Shin-hyeok!"
"How do you feel?"
His father, In-gyun, and Su-a, his only friend.
Finally, Bang Se-jin, with whom he had recently reconnected after regressing.
When the three of them slid open the door with a scrape and stepped inside, Shin-hyeok was the one taken aback.
"Father, Su-a, even Se-jin. What is all this?"
It was only natural. He had woken up to find the three of them waiting for him with expressions as if the world had ended.
However, their ensuing explanation made Shin-hyeok's expression stiffen.
"You've been asleep for three days already."
"They said you were unconscious in your room after the broadcast suddenly ended three days ago!"
"I was hammering away at the workshop when I heard from your father and Su-a, so I dropped everything and rushed over."
"......I've been like this for three days......?"
Three days.
That was how long Shin-hyeok had been unconscious.
The fact made Shin-hyeok realize just how absurd an experience he had gone through.
'......I met a Constellation in person. Before my regression, I met him when I was in Challenger Tier, so I couldn't truly feel it...... But it seems that alone put a severe strain on my body. I even used Overlord, so my condition must've been a complete wreck. It isn't strange that I was unconscious for three days.'
The Constellation known as the Martial God.
His meeting with Elder Cheok had unquestionably been extraordinary.
Even though he had lowered his rank as much as possible to ease the pressure on Shin-hyeok, Shin-hyeok's body and mind had still suffered severe damage.
However, he had no time for other thoughts.
He had to focus on calming the three people who had rushed over, worried about him.
***
After Shin-hyeok persuaded them, the three left as though they understood to some extent.
Naturally, he said nothing about meeting Elder Cheok.
He vaguely explained that he had simply been exhausted lately, then stopped Se-jin just as he was about to leave.
"Se-jin."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"I got a new reward. Would you like to take a look?"
"......A guy who just woke up after being unconscious is suddenly talking about some-"
"So, you're not going to look?"
"No, I am."
Shin-hyeok's sudden offer to show him a reward after being unconscious was clearly strange, but Se-jin was certain that it would not be anything ordinary. He turned back and sat down.
With a quiet chuckle at the sight of the heaven-sent blacksmith, Shin-hyeok took out Demonic Steel from his inventory.
"......This is?"
"Demonic Steel. Steel infused with demonic energy."
"Demonic Steel? That's the kind of weapon villains and demonic humans mainly use. I understand the state generally doesn't permit weapons related to demonic energy, either......"
"Getting permission isn't difficult. You haven't forgotten what kind of family I come from, have you?"
"Ah......"
Shinhwa Group.
One of the great pillars supporting South Korea.
Naturally, obtaining permission for weapons related to demonic energy would be as easy as eating a rice cake while lying down.
After all, Se-jin himself was the master of Shinhwa Workshop.
If someone like him directly requested permission from the state to use weapons related to demonic energy, it would generally be granted.
Se-jin scratched his head with an awkward smile, once again realizing that he still had not properly grasped his and Shin-hyeok's current standing.
"There's only one reason you showed me this, isn't there?"
"Yes. I want to make a weapon with it."
"What about the sword I made for you?"
"That sword is good too, but you know I don't use just one weapon."
"That's true."
A new weapon.
Shin-hyeok already possessed Bang Se-jin's Well-Made Holy Sword.
The sword he had missed during his fight with Elder Cheok had safely returned to his inventory, but Shin-hyeok wanted another weapon.
"Is it a sword this time, too?"
"No."
"Then what?"
"A spear."
"A spear...... Not bad. But why a spear?"
"Because an ability I'll be using from now on is related to spears."
The weapon Shin-hyeok wanted was a spear.
As someone who had reached a lofty realm in swordsmanship, seeking another sword would generally have made more sense. Yet Shin-hyeok deliberately chose a spear.
The reason was simple.
'God Spear. Or Spear God. And the one title that encompasses them all: the Heavenly Demon. A spear suits his martial arts best.'
Before his regression, Shin-hyeok had learned the Heaven-Shattering, Annihilation Style from the Martial God. From the Heavenly Demon, he had learned the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
That was why he intended to draw upon demonic energy through Demonic Steel and unleash the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
Furthermore-
'It'd be nice if I can meet him again this time. Old man.'
Thinking of the man who had cherished him greatly despite meeting him only once before his regression, Shin-hyeok smiled and rose from his seat.
"You're getting up already?"
"After resting for three days, I need to get moving. Gold Tier isn't far off."
"......It hasn't even been half a month since you took the Placement Exam, and you're already on the verge of Gold Tier. You'll be the first player to do that."
"That's because I have no intention of being satisfied with mere Gold Tier."
"All right. Let me know when the materials are ready."
"Thank you, Se-jin."
"Don't mention it. I'm the one who's more grateful. Take good care of yourself."
"Yes."
After thanking Se-jin for his concern, Shin-hyeok changed into the clothes on the table beside him.
The loose hospital gown was comfortable, but he could not wear it while checking his physical condition.
However, just as he was about to head straight for the training ground, Shin-hyeok saw someone standing outside the hospital room and had no choice but to stop.
"......Grandfather."
"Heh heh heh. Yes. I heard you had woken up, but the others said they had arrived first, so I waited in the director's office. Do you have time to talk for a moment?"
"Even if I didn't, I would make time."
"Good. I had the director's office cleared, so let us go there."
"Yes."
Choi Cheol-ho.
The chairman of Shinhwa Group and Shin-hyeok's grandfather was there.
As if it were only natural, he treated the hospital director's office as his personal room.
Shin-hyeok did not particularly mind.
'The place I was hospitalized must be Shinhwa Hospital, and if this is Shinhwa Hospital, then its director must be one of Grandfather's people. There shouldn't be any problem.'
Anything reached by the name Shinhwa belonged to Choi Cheol-ho.
Knowing that the director's office at Shinhwa Hospital would be no different, Shin-hyeok stood beside Choi Cheol-ho and headed there with him.
"I don't see the person we saw last time."
"Heh heh. Because of the thorough beating you gave him, he is logging back into the Dimension Arena."
"......Hmm. I might let him slip away the next time I see him."
"You will not say that you will let him slip away even if it kills you?"
"I can't say something that isn't true."
"Kahahaha! Yes, yes. My grandson ought to be like that!"
Shin-hyeok had instantly discerned that the person whose presence he had sensed in Choi Cheol-ho's study was not here today, and that perception delighted Choi Cheol-ho.
Thumping Shin-hyeok on the back as he heartily expressed his delight, Choi Cheol-ho entered the director's office with him. Shin-hyeok sat on a soft leather sofa.
Naturally, Choi Cheol-ho occupied the seat of honor that should have belonged to the hospital director.
"What happened?"
The question came without preamble.
In response, Shin-hyeok told him everything he had experienced.
From clearing the Hidden Stage to meeting Elder Cheok, he told him all of it.
"You caught the eye of a Constellation? And because he took a liking to you, you even gained a skill and a title?"
"Yes."
"Remarkable. You may truly be able to do it. Become the face of South Korea. No, the face of our Shinhwa Group!"
Choi Cheol-ho looked thrilled.
More precisely, Shin-hyeok had told him everything in order to monopolize Choi Cheol-ho's interest completely.
Having confirmed that Shin-hyeok had caught a Constellation's eye and even acquired a skill and a title, Choi Cheol-ho suppressed his restless excitement and asked,
"What do you want?"
'This was what I wanted.'
Choi Cheol-ho was a man who was clear about rewards and punishments.
If someone performed a meritorious deed, he gave a reward greater still.
If someone committed an offense, he gave a punishment greater still.
Shin-hyeok had been waiting for him to say those words.
"I need Rare Grade and Rare+ Grade materials."
"That much is not difficult...... But will that be enough?"
"More precisely, I need enough materials for my Growth-Type Item to reach Rare+ Grade."
"You will need an enormous quantity."
Without missing the opportunity, Shin-hyeok laid out what he wanted.
He needed to raise the Growth-Type Item, Armor of Absorption, to Rare+ Grade.
The immense quantity of materials required could never be gathered by an individual.
But not by Choi Cheol-ho.
The amount of materials sent to Shinhwa Workshop would simply be reduced, and Se-jin, one of Shin-hyeok's people, would suffer as a result.
At Choi Cheol-ho's pointed remark, Shin-hyeok smiled.
"It doesn't matter if the materials going to Shinhwa Workshop are reduced."
"It doesn't matter? Why not?"
"Take the materials that would have gone to those who make useless items and funnel them to Se-jin. That is all I want."
"......Heh heh heh, you are cunning. You take from others to increase what is yours. I like that very much. I will see it done."
"Thank you."
If even the materials meant for the other blacksmiths at Shinhwa Workshop went to Se-jin, Se-jin would never lack materials.
Moreover, Shin-hyeok's desire to take what belonged to others and increase what was his perfectly pleased Choi Cheol-ho. Thus, Shin-hyeok obtained everything he wanted.
"Then I shall be going. There are far too many things hounding this old man for me to have time to rest."
"I will see you out."
"Heh heh, I appreciate it, but your grandfather is not that old. There are attendants everywhere outside, so remember just one thing."
"......"
"Shinhwa is number one. Think only of showing that to the world."
"......Yes."
Choi Cheol-ho erased every trace of the smile he had worn until then and delivered those cold words. Then he smiled again and bid Shin-hyeok farewell.
Left alone, Shin-hyeok shook his head and sighed.
"Even if you do not worry, Grandfather, Shinhwa Group will become number one. Though the owner of Shinhwa will not be you when that happens."
With that resolve, which would never reach Choi Cheol-ho, Shin-hyeok headed for the player training ground bearing Shinhwa's name.
"Then, shall I check what I gained this time?"
The gifts given to him by Elder Cheok, the Martial God.
That was why he had come.