[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world":3,"chapter-level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-342":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Level 4 Human in a Ruined World",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1848306,2454,"Chapter 342","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-342",342,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>w\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 342: The Path of Vengeance (3)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swordmaster of London, Ben Walter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strongest knight of Britain, determined to save at least his homeland in a world on the brink of collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, the first thing he hears from the Eastern adversary he encounters is...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you have the money Mara was supposed to pay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What? Mara's payment? Why would I owe you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because of you, the payment I'm supposed to receive from Lemu might get reduced. So, isn't it only right that you cover the difference?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was Yeongwoo's argument—since he had left the battlefield early upon hearing the news of his mother being assaulted, it might have caused a reduction in his reward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Really? But for someone like that…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ben glanced between Yeongwoo and Jiseon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how he looked at him, this naked 'Strongest Sword' didn't seem like the dutiful son type.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, hadn't he immediately brought up money as soon as he got here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Since coming here, all you’ve done is talk about money.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Ben pointed this out, disregarding propriety even in the presence of the man's mother, Yeongwoo simply nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you talking about? Weren’t you here to save your mother?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Saving money is saving my mother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If there’s no money on this planet, we’re all dead. My mother included. It’s just a question of whether you die a few days earlier or later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Is that really something you should say in front of your own mother?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Ben rebuked Yeongwoo for his perceived lack of filial piety, Jiseon abruptly distanced herself from Ben and retorted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Is he wrong, though? Without money, what exactly can you do against those creatures?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What... what did you say, Madam?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ben was so flustered he accidentally used honorifics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Jiseon pointed her greatsword toward the massive spacecraft in the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Just look at that. How can anyone dare bring something like that onto someone else’s planet without permission? It just shows how defenseless this Earth has become.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, that’s because…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ben Walter followed Jiseon’s gaze to the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since the Reset, it was an open secret that this planet had become accessible to anyone—a “free zone,” as Jiseon called it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Ben had merely chosen to align himself with Mara, a sponsor who had promised immense power and had indeed delivered on that promise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thanks to the Reset, we’ve already lost our self-sufficiency. That’s why we must align with powerful forces to rebuild.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sharpening his blade as he regained his composure, Ben declared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Yeongwoo burst out, roaring at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell, you idiot! Why Mara, of all people? You should’ve teamed up with Lemu instead, even if it meant stripping naked!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo also turned his gaze to the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dogo and Lemu are businesspeople. Their calculations are straightforward—based on money.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By working with them, the planet would essentially become a subcontractor, but there would at least be a chance to gather resources and achieve independence later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But Mara… is different. That guy is just the cancer of the universe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The titles attached to Mara said it all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Master of the Void, one who walks in the shadow of universal laws, King of Ten Thousand Demons.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having encountered some of the void entities under Mara’s control, Yeongwoo could not accept aligning with such a force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But fundamentally, Yeongwoo and Ben had different goals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cancer of the universe? Don’t you think I know that? But sometimes, you have to ally with evil when the situation calls for it. For us, sorting out our internal affairs takes priority.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This statement essentially summed up Britain’s stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a major player in Earth’s civil war, Britain had no intention of losing and becoming a colony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had to win at all costs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially as a former colonial empire, the thought of submitting to other nations—let alone the East—was unthinkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We intend to restore the hierarchy on this planet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Ben and some British leaders, the immediate power struggle on Earth outweighed concerns about the cosmos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re insane. So, you're saying there’s no money coming from Mara?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yeongwoo asked this, Jiseon instinctively stepped back several paces, sensing an imminent fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But, oblivious to the tension, Ben Walter glanced at the sky and responded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if there were, I have no intention of giving it to you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really? Then leave your gear and go. That sword, in particular, looks pretty nice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo shifted Bastard to his left hand, raising it to point at Ben’s greatsword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s when Ben realized it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo had been stalling to recover his left arm this entire time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You… you bastard…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You seem upset about my supposed lack of filial piety, so you can’t be all bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yeongwoo spoke, he summoned equipment from his inventory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, his once-naked body was clad in the full-body armor of Vesedel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssshhhhh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A massive flying greatsword, Golden Trail, appeared behind him, and Aratubank materialized, its blade sinking a third into the ground like a gravestone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Ben Walter, this sudden display of equipment felt like a sucker punch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, as the legendary bow White Fire wrapped around his body, Yeongwoo shifted Bastard back to his right hand and unsheathed Aratubank with his left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But if you win this war, our planet will fall into the Void. That’s something I can’t allow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pointing his blade toward the heavens, Yeongwoo declared:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“On the other hand, if I win this war, we’ll reach the stars. Making me this planet’s ruler is clearly the better choice!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What… what nonsense is that? How does that even make sense?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Ben protested, Yeongwoo dashed forward, his eyes glowing golden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shut up and hand over your head and equipment! I’ll send you back to the Void!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait, no! I’m a human of Earth too…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ben tried to object, but Yeongwoo was already charging at full speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap-tap-tap!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Covered in dazzling equipment, the Strongest Sword’s advance made even the mighty Swordmaster flinch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A strange symbol appeared on Yeongwoo’s right shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This battle is proudly sponsored by the intergalactic weapons brand Dogo!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yeongwoo launched into a pre-battle advertisement, Swordmaster of London muttered under his breath in disgust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You… idiotic bastard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Yeongwoo snapped back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Doesn’t Mara make you do this kind of stuff? Isn’t that even weirder?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To be sponsored by a military contractor already makes you an idiot, but what kind of price do you think you’d have to pay to make the Master of the Void your backer?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a very persuasive argument, but for Ben, it was too late to change the course he’d already decided upon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And above all—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Save that kind of thinking for when you’ve actually beaten me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment of truth had already begun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blade of Bastard was charging toward him with incredible speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shreeeeek!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>w\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo’s high-speed thrust made a sound like a jet engine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having already experienced the mysterious techniques of the East in his earlier fight with Yeongwoo’s mother, Ben chose evasive maneuvers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swish!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He vanished, leaving behind an afterimage, and reappeared at Yeongwoo’s flank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo’s eyes widened at Ben’s extraordinary skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Ben—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slice!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—was shocked to see the Bastard’s blade slice cleanly through his greatsword as if it were cutting through water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell is this guy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait… can he teleport?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both fighters were astonished by the other’s abilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when it comes to an opponent who ignores guards and lands their attacks versus one who can teleport, who’s the true predator?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, you punk. What was that just now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo barked the question aggressively, like a gangster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ben quickly retrieved his sword and stepped back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And how did you pass through my blade just now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In response, Yeongwoo hoisted Bastard threateningly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let me show you again!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, Yeongwoo swung his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wheeaaak!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ben Walter, the Swordmaster, responded by launching his greatsword toward Yeongwoo while teleporting again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If his greatsword failed to block Bastard again, it would at least fly past Yeongwoo, allowing Ben to take his back through teleportation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fweeeew!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ben’s strategy, while intricate, was laughably thwarted by Yeongwoo’s gear advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Golden Trail, which had been orbiting around Yeongwoo, intercepted Ben’s flying greatsword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ben reappeared near the hilt of his greatsword as planned, only to find—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—he was still standing right in front of the lunatic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And worse, his guard was completely down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, so that’s the secret. You’ve got a magic sword.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having finally deduced Ben’s trick, Yeongwoo followed up with a straight punch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ben’s head twisted violently to the side from the impact, unable to react as he’d been too focused on Bastard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his combat hologram had warned him, the punch came too fast for him to process.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You seriously didn’t get a single dime from Mara? Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in this intense final interrogation, Yeongwoo’s question was all about money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mother, Jiseon, watched her son in disbelief, though she also had her own question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she observed, there was still a massive ship hovering above Seoul, sent by Mara.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, Mara—the King of Ten Thousand Demons—was likely watching his agent get beaten up right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Wait, what the hell is Mara even doing? Not sending reinforcements?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiseon voiced her thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo, who was about to throw another punch at Ben, turned around at her comment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, you’re right. Lemu even gave Japan equipment and a whole army of combat robots.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a valid point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a being with titles like “Lord of the Void” and “One Who Walks in the Shadow of Cosmic Law,” Mara’s investment in this planetary development competition seemed suspiciously lacking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, giving the Swordmaster enough power to challenge Yeongwoo’s mother was impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the end, that power was no match for a mythical sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, do you have anything else you got from Mara?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo pressed his blade near Ben’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the beleaguered agent’s eyes widened in realization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it wasn’t because he suddenly remembered something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he had spotted something in the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo followed his gaze and turned to look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There in the sky, strange symbols shimmered, as if oil had been spilled across the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Transcendent Script.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A form of language that only higher beings of the universe could manipulate freely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The message contained within was brief but unmistakable:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「I seek a new agent. In exchange, I offer a portion of this planet and the Void.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The meaning was short but clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re saying they want me to be their new agent, right? Is that even possible?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo gazed up at the darkened sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As things stood, Yeongwoo was the official agent of Dogo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Mara’s bold move suggested it was possible to poach an agent from a rival faction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Wait… holy crap. Mara is fluent in Transcendent Script?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo blinked rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had seen his chairman use fragments of Transcendent Script to create intergalactic contracts with a single slash of a sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But creating an entire sentence purely in Transcendent Script?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was new.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo scratched his cheek.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing something, Jiseon exhaled sharply and shouted:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Whatever you’re thinking, stop it! Absolutely not!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had already figured out her scheming son was weighing his options between Dogo and Mara.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for Yeongwoo, whose “global” scale was intergalactic, there was no such thing as an absolute no.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The universe was vast, and possibilities were endless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Mara! As you may know, tomorrow at 3:23 PM is my parents’ wedding!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—What?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ben Walter, who had overheard the wedding announcement, widened his eyes in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you could spare some time to attend the ceremony, I would seriously consider switching sides.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo added with a sly grin:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, and as for gifts, remember: bribes count too. Cash or anything mythical and above only, please.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>w\u003C\u002Fp>",2002,"2026-06-09T07:03:45.853Z",1,"novelbin.me","dc95e96450f56533ed1e9eeb5c7bb9529c71ac771f1fa1bdb9f3fc13f8ec21c8","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-343","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-341",688,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flevel-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-cover.jpg"]