[{"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-416":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},1848095,2454,"Chapter 416","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-416",416,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 416: Cosmic (3)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Courtesy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dictionary definition is “to treat someone with politeness and respect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then what does courtesy mean in battle?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Well… maybe not using cowardly tricks? Introducing yourself properly before fighting?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this were Earth, those might be the first things that came to mind when thinking about combat etiquette.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this was practically space now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kubu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Yes, Lord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What exactly is the ‘courtesy’ observed in battle?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Specifically, what was it that Yeongwoo no longer needed to observe when fighting an opponent with a Prestige Level of 40?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kubu blinked before answering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Courtesy is part of the cosmic order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Order…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—That’s correct. When facing an opponent to whom one must show courtesy, it becomes impossible to use one’s full power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo’s expression twisted immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What are you saying? In a fight, the weaker side has to hold back instead?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Not so much the weaker side… rather, the lesser side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Kubu’s explanation, Yeongwoo felt his scalp tingle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the start, the concepts of space were completely different from common sense on Earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Well, raising your Prestige Level requires not just money, but also an impressive track record.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surviving resets, clearing dungeons, discovering third-rank beings, possessing myths—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were all accomplishments that made up Yeongwoo’s Prestige Level 38.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, a high Prestige Level signified numerous extraordinary achievements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So they consider someone with a lower Prestige Level to be 'lesser' in comparison.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In space, nobility wasn’t about birth but about how much one had accomplished and experienced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why royal families, whose power was built upon myths, were universally respected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, but still—how does it make sense that in a life-or-death battle, the ‘lesser’ side has to deliberately hold back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo asked with some frustration. Kubu blinked again before replying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Courtesy is one of the fundamental systems of cosmic order. That means it is enforced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Put it in simpler terms.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Even if a lesser being attacks with full power, their attack cannot fully reach their opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now Yeongwoo understood clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fuck. So if your level is lower, you get nerfed in fights.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This universe was a strict hierarchy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To maintain that order, a system was in place preventing lesser beings from easily harming the noble ones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait, does that mean…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sudden realization flashed through Yeongwoo’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even Lemu would be affected when fighting our Chairman, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—That… we cannot be sure of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Seems likely, though? The Chairman is from a royal family, and their rank is vastly different. Their Prestige Level must be much higher…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of fights had Lemu been through?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, as the major shareholders had said, Lemu owned a crude business empire, meaning he had enormous financial resources.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So his Prestige Level might actually be comparable to the Chairman’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「You are now exempt from ‘courtesy’ when fighting against opponents with Prestige Level 40.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Judging from my case, it looks like a two-level gap removes the courtesy penalty…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the previous fight between the Chairman and Lemu—was it a battle with courtesy, or was it an unrestricted duel?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A lesser being like me has no way of knowing.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『That wretched Lemu is a fourth-rank existence. He will never achieve any great deeds and will remain where he is until he perishes.』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chairman said things like this all the time, so it was hard to imagine he would lose to a lesser being just because of a temporary level difference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that was a matter for the beings of the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Yeongwoo, the most important thing now was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I finally have lesser beings beneath me!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until now, he had been nothing more than a pawn, pushed around by bigger players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, he had truly become a cosmic existence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Prestige had finally broken through its natural limits and reached the cosmos, allowing him to look down upon those beneath him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only problem was… the ones beneath him were his own family roots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, for now, I just need to keep building up my Prestige Level and prepare for the future.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yeongwoo said this, Jiseon interrupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Prepare for the future…? What are you planning now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What else? Have you forgotten our main business?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Robbery and assault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this vast universe, how much power would one need to live as a space bandit?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that in mind, it was impossible not to be curious about the Chairman’s Prestige Level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m at 38 now… so what kind of level would a big shot like the Chairman have?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Prestige Level: 38]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>|20\u002F100\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>• Karma required per achievement point: 250 million\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To raise his Prestige Level by just one point, Yeongwoo needed 250 million Karma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So how much more would he need to go from Level 39 to 40?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no need to think too hard to predict the answer—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even at the early 40s, it would become nearly impossible to grow just by spending money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Just as the Chairman said, if you don’t accomplish great deeds, you’ll remain where you are until you vanish.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The structure of the cosmic hierarchy was finally starting to make sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kubu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Yes, Lord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Has there ever been a case where someone succeeded in an uprising while still observing courtesy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Kubu could now access the family system, Yeongwoo wondered if he might also have access to historical records.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the response was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—That… I cannot say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, of course. There’s no way to know everything happening in this vast universe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo answered his own question, and Kubu blinked in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking a deep breath, Yeongwoo reached for Jeonggu’s arm and transferred the promised 1 billion Karma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jeonggu’s jaw dropped as he saw the amount displayed before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Th-thanks. How’s your eye now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s much better than before.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo’s right pupil now had a faint ashen glow—it had successfully adapted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mother, you come too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo beckoned his second lesser being, Song Jiseon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jiseon shook her head and instead gestured for Yeongwoo to come to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—You may have become a great person, but you couldn’t have built this family without us. So you should come here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, his mother was not easy to deal with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo thought for a moment, then nodded and stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t have time to argue.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clank, clank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With each step, a strange ripple spread through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiseon ignored it and simply extended her arm toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo took her arm and transferred 1 billion Karma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at that moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—H-huh?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiseon let out an unusually startled sound and stumbled backward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What… what was that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Startled, Yeongwoo withdrew his hand and asked. Jiseon, equally flustered, responded in a shaky voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—A... A status window just appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What? You mean you've never had a status menu before?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, that made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiseon was a mutant from the beginning, and her combat power had been automatically adjusted according to the reset date.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, after receiving Karma from Yeongwoo and gaining her first property, she was granted some of the rights of an Earth resident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you invest 4 billion into your stats, you can unlock the Prestige Level.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—4 billion? That means we're still short 3 billion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait for the next root tax payout.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo, who said this so nonchalantly, still had about 20 billion in cash even after taxes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was too much that needed to be done with that money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, the city needed to be developed, and now that a noble house had been established, preparations for a fleet had to begin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A planetary ship would cost far more than a regular one. Honestly, 20 billion probably won’t even come close.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo scratched his forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, with the board meeting happening soon, he would get a better estimate once he spoke with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would Earth even approve the ship's construction?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How much capital would be required?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But Yeongwoo, when are you going to take this thing? It's honestly terrifying to hold onto.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Jeonggu’s words, Yeongwoo turned his head—only to find a gleaming white spear thrust toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was none other than the legendary spear, Lightning Rod, a gift from Lemu, the company president, for the wedding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hand it over.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yeongwoo took the spear from Jeonggu’s hands, a dazzling tooltip filled his vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Lightning Rod」 - Legendary Spear\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Lightning Fire】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>| Doubles the lightning damage you possess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Lightning Rod】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>| When hit by lightning damage, attack power increases by 15%.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Lemu’s Seal】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>| Every time you pronounce ‘Lemu,’ you receive a thrilling jolt of lightning damage and gain favor with machines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...That's insane.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo had almost forgotten about this spear’s absurd effects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now it made sense why Jeonggu had been afraid to even hold it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn, I can't even say the boss’s name casually anymore.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, in a critical battle, there would come a time when he had to say Lemu’s name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Lightning Rod】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>| When hit by lightning damage, attack power increases by 15%.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless he was fighting a Thunder Dragon, the only way to activate this effect would be to trigger Lemu’s Seal or inflict damage on himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he wasn’t sure if self-inflicted damage would even register with the spear’s effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gripping the long handle of Lightning Rod, he felt white lightning crawling up the back of his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crackle!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Uh… that weapon looks kind of dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling an inexplicable sense of unease, Jiseon instinctively stepped back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And, of course, she was right to be cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without warning, Yeongwoo reversed his grip on the spear and stabbed his own calf with the tip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—You crazy bastard!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiseon snapped as poisonous blood gushed from Yeongwoo’s wound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"……!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Yeongwoo wasn’t even paying attention to his bleeding leg.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It worked!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A lightning-shaped icon appeared in the corner of his vision, confirming that Lightning Rod's attack boost had activated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘At least I won’t have to shout Lemu’s name in every fight now. Haha, sorry, Boss. Your trick wasn’t deep enough.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo smirked with a sense of triumph.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But still, wouldn’t it be a waste to never trigger Lemu’s Seal even once?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was too curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What exactly does \"a jolt of lightning damage\" feel like?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One day, this reckless curiosity is going to kill me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as he thought that, his mouth was already opening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Le, mu?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, as if it had been waiting for him, a white flash surged, sending an electric shock through his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zap!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, ughhh!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A \"pleasantly\" shocking jolt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just the right amount of electricity—not too much, not too little—sending a tingle across his entire body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo shuddered involuntarily, letting out an embarrassing groan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What the hell did that bastard give me?!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above his head, a square emblem with Lemu’s logo appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That had to be Lemu’s Seal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still trembling from the lingering electricity, Yeongwoo lifted his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whirrrrr…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He heard it—the sound of the mechanical wreaths outside the wedding hall coming to life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, shit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He bolted outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he expected, power had been restored across the border districts of Gwangjin-gu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo’s activation of Lemu’s Seal had inadvertently reactivated Lemu’s mechanical wreaths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What the hell…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beep…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The machines soon powered down again, but one thing was certain—Lemu’s Seal had more layers than the tooltip suggested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Lemu’s Seal】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>| Every time you pronounce ‘Lemu,’ you receive a thrilling jolt of lightning damage and gain favor with machines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tooltip only mentioned \"gaining favor\" with machines, but it was clearly more complex than that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What exactly does ‘favor’ mean?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yeongwoo silently pondered the question only Lemu could answer, a new notification appeared in his vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Meeting with the Board will commence in 2 hours and 30 minutes.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>",1975,"2026-06-09T07:03:45.907Z",1,"novelbin.me","6a333feaff8f24ba863eebd622ec49a8849255245a72333ec74c1919d14e30d8","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-216","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-215",688,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flevel-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-cover.jpg"]