Debuff Master-Chapter 857

Tae-Sung’s mind was complicated as he headed toward his family home. freewebnσvel.cøm

‘What could have possibly happened?’

He racked his brain trying to recall if there had been any signs of trouble at home, but no matter how hard he thought, there did not seem to be any reason for concern.

They had no close relatives to cause any drama, and his mother was not the type to run a business or co-sign loans for others.

‘Could someone be sick?’

An unsettling thought crept in. Perhaps his mother or younger sister is gravely sick?

That seemed to be the only explanation for this sudden urgency.

Finally, they arrived at the house after what seemed to be an eternity.

“Mom!”

Tae-Sung burst through the front door. He barely removed his shoes before storming straight into the living room.

“You’re here?”

“Oh, you made it, oppa.”

But to his surprise, the atmosphere was not grim at all.

His mother and sister were sitting comfortably on the couch, casually chatting as they watched TV.

“What’s... going on?” he asked his mother directly, huffing and puffing to catch his breath. Then, he finally caught his breath and asked, “Why did you not explain anything over the phone? What happened? I-Is... anyone sick?”

“Haha! No, nothing like that,” his mother replied with a chuckle.

Her unexpected reaction left Tae-Sung utterly confused, ‘Why is she laughing?’

“What is it then? What happened?”

Just then, Tae-Hee handed him a small piece of paper.

“Here, oppa.”

“What is this?” Tae-Sung asked. Then, he unfolded the paper and read the words, “Seoul... National University. College of Medicine?”

The paper was none other than an acceptance letter from Seoul National University’s prestigious College of Medicine.

“That’s right. I got into Seoul National University, College of Medicine,” Tae-Hee said with a proud smile.

“W-Wait... You passed? Really? You got accepted?” Tae-Sung asked, his voice wavering as he looked at her in disbelief.

He always knew that Tae-Hee was brilliant, but he never imagined she would be accepted into the country’s most competitive medical school.

And yet, here it was.

“Of course, it’s real/ Do you think it’s a joke? I told you before that I applied, remember?”

“Oh...”

Tae-Sung was so overwhelmed with emotions that he had to fight back his tears.

They said that hardship was always followed by joy, and it seemed that was true—from being an obscure gaming addict to becoming a globally recognized professional gamer and a billionaire worth hundreds of billions of won—he had come a long way indeed.

And now, even his sister had achieved her lifelong dream of becoming a medical student at the nation’s top university.

“Good job,” he said, his voice tinged with pride and emotions.

Tae-Hee had grown up in a difficult household, yet she had never once complained. She remained diligent and focused, fulfilling her responsibilities as a student without failing even once.

It was her determination that made all of his sacrifices worthwhile.

“You really worked hard, Tae-Hee.”

“It’s all thanks to you, oppa.”

“Me? I didn’t do much.”

“Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to afford private tutoring or cram schools. Thank you, oppa.”

Hearing Tae-Hee’s heartfelt gratitude only made him proud even more.

“Ah, my wonderful children...”

Their mother smiled warmly as tears welled up in her eyes after watching the siblings.

She raised them alone while running a small produce stand in the marketplace, and she could not have been prouder of their accomplishments.

Tae-Sung’s family finally found themselves on the cusp of a happier and brighter future after weathering countless hardships.

‘I guess I should keep working harder and making more money,’ Tae-Sung thought.

He was determined to keep working harder to preserve the happiness they now had.

Of course, he would still be able to live comfortably even if the three hundred billion won worth of stocks he owned suddenly lost all of their value.

But that was not the point...

***

The next morning, Tae-Sung spent the morning discussing future plans with his mother and younger sister. This was the first time in a long while that he had stayed at his family home, so he had the luxury of spending the morning with them.

“Mom, let’s move to Seoul.”

“I think we should.”

The decision was unanimous. The family was to leave Bucheon and relocate to Seoul.

Why?

Having been accepted into Seoul National University, the more practical choice for Tae-Hee would be to live closer to campus.

“Ah, could you please recommend a place in Bangbae-dong, Director Han? It has to be at least two hundred square meters, preferably a penthouse.”

Without hesitation, Tae-Sung made a call to purchase an apartment in Bangbae-dong for his family.

The area was ideal, as it was only about a twenty-five-minute drive to Seoul National University, making it perfect for Tae-Hee’s commute for her classes.

“Ah, I already told them. If you need a car, just pick one up from my garage. But make sure to get your license first, okay?”

“Thanks, oppa.”

He even generously offered to show Tae-Hee his collection of luxury cars to ensure that she had all the support that she needed.

After spending a few more meaningful days with his family, Tae-Sung took a brief two-day break alone before logging back into the game.

***

As soon as Siegfried logged back into the game, he was met with an overwhelming pile of documents stacked up like mountain ranges.

Michele might have managed the kingdom in his absence, but the final decision still required the king’s seal after all.

The Proatine Kingdom recently gained access to the sea through the Green Archipelago, so it started a new business venture of supplying seafood to various other countries.

As good as this might be for the kingdom, it further added to Siegfried’s already massive workload.

“...I’m stuck with paperwork the moment I log in.”

Siegfried let out a sigh as the stacks of papers towered imposingly above him. Although he really hated administrative work, he resigned himself to his role.

He sat at his desk and diligently began stamping the documents with his seal one by one.

But that was not the end of his work...

He also issued orders to Ninetail and the intelligence department, instructing them to monitor the remaining Great Rifts around the clock.

There was no telling when these rifts would spiral out of control, so it was of utmost importance that they kept an eye on them.

After spending the entire day buried in work, Siegfried set out to visit Deus. As a disciple, he felt it was only proper to inform him that he had stepped into the realm of Masters.

“Hello, Master.”

“Oh? I see you’ve finally become worthy of being called a human being.”

Deus smiled the moment he laid eyes on Siegfried.

“Yes, Master.”

For the first time, Deus acknowledged him as a man and not as an animal. In his eyes, a true warrior could only be considered human once they were a Master.

“My disciple.”

“Yes, Master?”

“Congratulations on your small accomplishment.”

“Thank you, Master. I will continue to train hard and one day become a Grandmaster.”

“Hmm? Have you eaten something strange?” Deus asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Pardon me, Master...?”

“Most people would start acting smug after becoming just a Master, but your attitude is truly remarkable.”

“How could I possibly grow conceited when there are skies above the skies, Master?”

“Oh?”

“I became a Master only to encounter the Chief Archangel, Lucifer. There are far too many stronger beings in this world,” Siegfried said, remembering his battle against Lucifer. Then, he clenched his fist and continued, “Also, as your disciple, I should aim for nothing less than absolute strength.”

“Well said!”

“I will continue training with unwavering resolve.”

“Kekekeke! Good! You truly are my disciple! Keep up the good work,” Deus burst out into laughter in sheer delight, clearly pleased with Siegfried’s burning determination.

Siegfried’s face lit up with a big smile, as he brimmed with pride after being praised by Deus.

“Thank you! Master!”

He was rarely moved by praises from others, but it was different when it came from Deus.

After all, he was being recognized by the strongest being in BNW, so it was definitely a deeply rewarding moment for him.

‘This is only the beginning. I’ll become a Grandmaster too.’

Determined not to stop, Siegfried steeled his resolve to continue growing stronger.

Thus, the master and disciple spent some time together after that, strengthening their already strong bond.

***

The next day, Siegfried received an urgent summons from the Dragon Lord, Gerog, and made his way to the dragon’s lair.

Upon arrival, he noticed that Michael, who looked somewhat better, was having a cup of tea with Gerog.

“Oh! You’re here!”

“Welcome.”

Both Gerog and Michael welcomed him warmly...

“Hello, Your Majesty.”

“Welcome, sire.”

Even Metatron and Chaos appeared, bowing toward Siegfried to pay their respects.

“I’ve heard the news. The Dragon Slayers have appeared again, haven’t they?”

“Yes, elder.”

“It’s truly a relief you were there. My kin would have perished that day if it wasn’t for you.”

“I only did what I had to do, elder.”

“Hohoho! Such a humble fellow!”

Siegfried turned toward Michael and asked, “How are you feeling now?”

“I’m feeling much better.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Thank you for protecting and taking care of me.”

“Please, think nothing of it. But by the way...” Siegfried hesitated briefly. Then, he asked after a short pause, “...What are your plans from now on?”

“To be frank with you... There’s not much I can do.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that?”

“I’ve lost all of my powers. I’m just a mere mortal now.”

“Oh, I see...”

“But I can’t just sit idly by. I intend to travel the world and look for my wings.”

“Your wings?”

“For us angels, our wings grant us our powers. But all twelve of my wings were torn off when I fell from the celestial realm. If I can somehow retrieve them, then I might be able to regain some of my strength.”

“I’ll help you.”

Siegfried offered help without any hesitation.

Ding!

Then, a quest popped up in front of his eyes.

[Alert: You have obtained the Quest — Look for the Archangel’s Wings!]

The quest details were as follows...

[Look for the Archangel’s Wings]

[Retrieve the 12 wings of Michael scattered across the continent.]

[Type: Epic Quest]

[Progress: 0% (0/12)]

[Reward: +5 Level per Wing]

[Warning: The Fallen Angels are also looking for Michael’s wings!]

“You’re going to help me?” Michael asked.

“I mean, why not? It’s the least I can do for you,” Siegfried replied without a second thought.

Why would he refuse this quest when it rewarded him with five levels per wing?

“Helping you also means protecting the peace of this world, so it is only my duty to do so.”

“I’m deeply grateful.”

Thus, Siegfried accepted the quest to help Michael look for his wings.

“Ah, do you know how the celestial realm plans to invade the human realm?”

“I’m not entirely sure... Not much was revealed aside from unleashing the Four Apocalypses but...”

“...?”

“There is one thing I’m certain of. The celestial realm has allies in this realm, too.”

“Ah...”

“Lucifer has long established a network of followers in this realm. Although they are few, his followers will undoubtedly be working to execute his plans.”

“That complicates things...”

Knowing one’s enemy is one of the most basic things required to attain victory, but the lack of information regarding Lucifer’s plans made things even more frustrating than it already was.

“But I know that his followers are searching for a vessel for Lucifer.”

“A vessel for Lucifer?”

“It’s difficult for an archangel to descend directly into this realm. For him to descend, he requires a suitable host—a vessel to use here.”

“A host...”

“What Lucifer seeks is the body of a powerful and intelligent being. Someone capable of containing his essence as the Chief Archangel.”

“Do you mean a dragon?”

“No, that’s impossible. Using a dragon’s body as a vessel carries too many risks even for Lucifer. The mental domain of dragons is far too complex, that even he would find it nearly impossible to control them.”

“Then what?”

“For example...” Michael muttered. Then, his expression turned grave as he said, “A High Elf would make an ideal vessel... someone like Princess Verdandi.”