The Martial God Who Regressed Back To Level 2 Chapter 201-240

⦗ The Martial God Who Regressed Back To Level 2 Chapter 201-240 — ⦘
The Martial God Who Regressed

Back To Level 2
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The Martial God Who Regressed Back To Level 2

Chapter 201-240
1. Volume 3
1. Chapter 201
2. Chapter 202
3. Chapter 203
4. Chapter 204
5. Chapter 205
6. Chapter 206
7. Chapter 207
8. Chapter 208
9. Chapter 209
10. Chapter 210
11. Chapter 211
12. Chapter 212
13. Chapter 213
14. Chapter 214
15. Chapter 215
16. Chapter 216
17. Chapter 217
18. Chapter 218
19. Chapter 219
20. Chapter 220
21. Chapter 221
22. Chapter 222
23. Chapter 223
24. Chapter 224
25. Chapter 225
26. Chapter 226
27. Chapter 227
28. Chapter 228
29. Chapter 229
30. Chapter 230
31. Chapter 231
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32. Chapter 232

33. Chapter 233
34. Chapter 234
35. Chapter 235
36. Chapter 236
37. Chapter 237
38. Chapter 238
39. Chapter 239
40. Chapter 240
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⦗ The Martial God Who Regressed Back To Level 2 Chapter 201-240 — Volume 3 ⦘
Volume 3
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⦗ The Martial God Who Regressed Back To Level 2 Chapter 201-240 — Chapter 201
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Chapter 201
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"Uncle, why are we suddenly destroying the hill?"
"That's what I was talking about earlier."
"Ah, a premonition?"
"Yeah. Let's go together, everyone."
"Yes, I understand!"
Following Seong Jihan's story, the TOP 100 were convinced and followed
Seong Jihan's lead.
With their arms crossed, they watched the undead tear up the ground.
With swords, spears and other weapons, the Death Knight troops crumbled
the hill.
"Even with swords... the ground is torn apart...."
"They're also using dark sword energy. Those Death Knights seem quite
strong."
"Just by looking at them, Blocking the first wave wouldn't have been easy."
While people were impressed by the strength of the Death Knights, Seong
Jihan, who was giving them orders, had a different perspective.
'It shouldn't been difficult for the first wave...'
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No matter how strong the Space League was supposed to be, monsters ap‐
pearing for the first time in this promotion match weren't usually this
strong. Balancing to enable appropriate countermeasures was common in
the game, but the Death Knights now appearing exceeded those standards
by far.
'Is it because of the power of death?'
Not only perfectly commanding these countless undead, but even strength‐
ening them on top of that.
The power given by The Constellation of Dead Star was clearly tremen‐
dously effective.
If you handle undead then you're a necromancer, it was an ability anyone

would want to obtain no matter what.
'It's pretty good, but not to my taste.'
However, Seong Jihan, who was actually using this, was nonchalant.
He preferred fighting directly rather than handling undead.
Even though the Death Knights had been enormously enhanced, he wasn't
satisfied and studied whether he could apply this to himself.
'Let's try applying it to my body first.'
Swoosh...
As a crimson light spread across Seong Jihans' body and his figure became
halfway obscured.
His body felt as light as if he had received a powerful blessing spell.
'The buff works huh.'
A hint of surprise floated in Seong Jihan's eyes.
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'After getting Martial Soul, the blessing effects were useless to me...'
Having brought out all the potential of Marital Soul, even receiving buffs
was the same as nothing to Seong Jihan.
But the additional ability given by the power of death, he could clearly feel
its effect.
Of course, compared to the Death Knights becoming two or three times

stronger, it was only around a 20 percent effect.
'Where is this...'
The expression of Seong Jihan, who had been bored just before, clearly
changed.
A 20 percent increase in strength, he had to somehow take it with him.
As Seong Jihan tried to take in more of the death aura into his body.
[You are a living being.]
[It is impossible to completely fuse with the power of death.]
Warning messages popped up from the system.
'If I want to see more effects, do I have to become like those undead?'
Even in the state of a reaper, it seemed that being alive was a limitation.
While Seong Jihan was deeply researching the power of death, Yoon Seah
urgently called him.
"Uncle! Over there! Something came out!"
The place she pointed at was the hill the undead had been tirelessly digging
into.
Swoosh...!
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A dazzling white smoke burst out from between the swords digging into the
hill in an instant.
"Uh..."
"The Death Knights disappeared?!"
The Death Knight units that were digging into the ground were buried in an
instant.
And, the hill, which had been dug up by the undead for a while, disappeared
into the smoke in an instant.
Swoosh...
One by one, something began to emerge in the area filled with white smoke.
"What...what is that...?"
"A... skull?"
What floated up from within the smoke were the skulls of various beings.
Including that of the Death Knights who had just been absorbed, up to the
skulls of gigantic monsters.
The skulls of all sizes and colors glared sharply with ghostly lights in their
empty eye sockets.
And looked towards Seong Jihan's group all at once.
[How dare you desec rate our resting place...]
[Stop... Let us rest.]
[Or... will you come too?]
Eerie voices erupted from the thousands of skulls.
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The voices were so intense that even players who had reached Diam
ond
rank were bewildered.
"Ugh..."
"My body won't... move... Please cast protection magic...!"
"Divine Shield!"
It was only after the supports' divine power was applied that the sounds be‐
came barely bearable.
However,
"Hehehehehe..."
As thousands of skulls simultaneously burst into laughter, cracks began to

appear even in the divine protective shield.
The overwhelming, eerie laughter was difficult to endure, even for those
who were considered elite players.
=Uh! It suddenly feels like we met the final boss!
=Seong Jihan! Was it the right choice to dig into the ground?! All the Death
Knights you commanded got completely swallowed!
=How can you not trust in his judgement?! His choices have always been
right so far! Doesn't he have premonitions?!
=If he can pull it off this time as well, I'll definitely become a believer!
=Just what kind of hint did he get in that dream?
The viewers all watched the screen expectantly, waiting for what solution
Seong Jihan had prepared to face such a monster.
Thump! Thump!
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Having taken in half of the death aura, Seong Jihan approached the horde of
skulls.
He reached out his hand and released his strength.
Then,
The thousands of skulls looked toward Seong Jihan simultaneously.
[This is... the power of death?]
[How does a living being...]
And so the skull collective ghost hesitated for a moment.
=Oh...! Does the power that controlled the Death Knights work here too?!
=As expected of Seong Jihan, he had another card up his sleeve!
The announcers acted as if the situation had already been resolved as they
watched, but [Hahaha...! To think you'd try to control us...!]
[You will become one of us too...!]
Far from yielding to the power of death, the skulls showed clear enmity to‐
wards Seong Jihan instead.
[Kaaaahhh....]
As the skulls opened their mouths wide, a dazzling white smoke burst out
simultaneously.
And concentrated towards Seong Jihan.
"Di-Divine Shield!"
The players who had been watching this from behind hurriedly tried to pro‐
tect him, however Seong Jihan himself remained composed.
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'These guys are out of my league.'
It was too much to try and control the hidden boss with the 1st wave undead
monsters.
Then there's no need to stubbornly hold onto control that doesn't suit me.
'The Constellation quest is just to make use of the power of death somehow
anyway, right?'
Ping! Ping!
Crimson lights wrapped around Seong Jihan's two fists, symbolizing the
power of death.
"I'll be back in a bit."
And his figure instantly disappeared into the smoke.
[Haha, so you've come to become one yourself...!]
[I'll drink his blood first!]
[And I'll have the flesh...]
At first mocking Seong Jihan's charge, the skull collective.
Soon had bewildered expressions.
[What... he's not getting eaten?]
[Why isn't he being assimilated?!]
Instead of Seong Jihan getting swallowed, skulls exploded in all directions.
At first it was just one or two skulls shattering.
"Well, this is nothing much."
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But as Seong Jihan started moving more aggressively, they burst dozens at a
time in an instant.
=Ah...!
=Is this the method Seong Jihan came up with!
=Indeed, a Player speaks with his fist! He's showing the textbook style of a
Player!
Seong Jihan, who had been called the strongest player of humanity through
the Chaos Battlefield despite being Platinum.
Once again, solved the game with a Player's method this time as well.
Having semi-fused with the power of death, he wasn't damaged by the spec‐
tral collective's attacks at all.
He quickly shattered the skulls.
After a considerable amount of time,
Swoosh...
The smoke completely occupying the hill noticeably thinned.
And Seong Jihan popped out from within.
"Now."
He reached out his hand and emitted the power of death once again.
"Now, how about this?"
Showing the difference in strength, Seong Jihan used the power of death
again.
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[Dare... to try to dominate us...!]
[We won't yield...! I'm already dead, why would I fear destruction?!]
"Weren't you afraid? You desperately tried to run away so your head
wouldn't break."
[Don't insult us!]
"All right. Then let's go again."
[Wa-wait a moment...]
As Seong Jihan went back inside without hesitation, The sound of things
smashing was heard for a while and the smoke occupying the hill reduced
to 1/4th.
And he came back out again.
"Now?"
Once again, a crimson aura shone from Seong Jihan's hand.
Swoosh...
[We can't... endure this anymore...]
[We pledge loyalty to the Reaper.]
[Please give us... your command.]
Their initial defiant spirit completely disappeared.
The skulls, now reduced to 1/4th, lowered their heads towards Seong Jihan
all at once and swore their allegiance.
['The Fallen King's Spirit' has been placed under control.]
[The power of death has been greatly enhanced.]
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And thus, the power of deathbecame even stronger.
But Seong Jihan paid more attention to the name of the spectral collective
that appeared in the system message.
'Fallen King...'
A Fallen King, with only skulls left of the enemy.
It reminded him of the skull-blathering Constellation Of The Dead Star for

some reason.
Deciding to look into this later, he ordered, "Guide us to your ossuary."
He immediately moved on to tackle the map's special point.
[This place...]
As the ethereal form of the Fallen King's Spirit dimmed, the remaining hill
that had not been excavated disappeared in an instant.
And what was revealed there was a giant triangular structure.
At the bottom, a giant skull supported it, and above it, a pyramid of re‐
versed flesh and blood, creating a bizarre appearance.
At regular intervals, it emitted dense aura around it.
Swoosh...
And each time, undead beings were fully generated in the smoke, similar to
the Death Knights that Seong Jihan had dominated earlier.
'An ossuary that spawns undead...'
[TL/N: Ossuary means a container or room in which the bones of dead peo‐
ple are placed.]
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On Giant Graveyard maps, an ossuary to spawn the undead monsters to be

used for the monster waves.
Since all the 1st wave undead had been devoured by the Fallen King's
Spirit, production had stopped for a while.
And once the Death Knights were created to a certain degree.
Flash! Flash!
Portals were generated to the east, west, south and north of the inverted
pyramid.
And the skull holding up the very bottom turned its head west.
Creeeeak...!
As a red light emitted from the eyes of the bottom skull, an undead legion
headed towards the western portal.
'Our portal is the west one.'
An ossuary creating monsters and sending them out.
The default portal position marked by the bottom skull was exactly where
the current TOP 100 were stationed, the giant graveyard.
'The elves occupied the ossuary and turned that head.'
In the competition shown during the broadcast, it was subtly revealed what
the opposing team was doing.
In the previous life, humanity understood why the elven planet consistently
ranked first by watching this.
The elves dug up the hill with the earth spirits, threw a special sacred item
at the Fallen King's Soul, and then, as the soul weakened and the ossuary
was revealed, they entered from here, turning the head of the bottom skull.
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'We can't tell where the east, south and north portals lead, so it's completely
random, but...
We'd prefer it if it sent monsters to the elves as much as possible.'
In this competition, the most significant opponent to restrain was undoubt‐

edly the elves.
Orc was a weak race that fought Humanity for the bottom rank even in the
previous life, and Meccan, although it consistently maintained a mid-tier
position, had less presence than the elves.
If possible, it was necessary to bring down the elves from the first place.
"Wait a moment."
Seong Jihan, who immediately dominated the summoned undead legion,

entered the northern portal to find the elves.
And then...
"What the, why are the elves here the moment I leave the portal...?!"
Fortunately, right there, he found the elves.
***
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Chapter 202
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Beyond the northern portal.
That place was the ossuary Seong Jihan had crossed over to, and from the
portal to the center, it was completely identical.
And in the middle, the inverted pyramid.
Jijijik!
An elf who had been diligently turning the head was startled to see Seong
Jihan.
"What, what is this? Why from the portal..."
Swish!
Seong Jihan charged at the elf without hesitation or excuses.
The distance between them narrowed in an instant.
"Great Lich..."
The elf hurriedly took his hands off the head and tried to respond to Seong
Jihan, but "In the face of death, all things are equal. I, Seong Jihan, will pre‐
side over this in the name of the Reaper."
"Wha...."
As Seong Jihan used the skill 'Death Sentence' after getting right in front of
him.
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Swoosh...!
The elf's body melted away without even manifesting its regeneration, dis‐
appearing in an instant.
It's a pretty good skill if you take out the long incantation.
While Seong Jihan was thinking that.
[A race that does not fall under the rule of death. Cannot be turned into an
undead.]
[Eliminating.]
The system message floated over his eyes belatedly.
'Elves cannot become undead?'
Seong Jihan frowned.
I saw that the dragons were also called bone dragons. What do you mean
elves can't become undead?
'I guess I have to completely crush them.'
Seong Jihan looked towards the location of the ossuary's head.
The head that had been facing north.
The northern portal in the humans' Giant Graveyard was also the place lead‐
ing to the elves' area.
If the northern portal here also leads to the elves' area...
'Are the portal locations the same no matter where they lead?'
The West is humanity.
North is elves.
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Are the positions all shared?
Seong Jihan went into the western portal to check.
Then undead legions he had kept on standby earlier appeared on the other
side of the portal.
'The portal locations seem fixed no matter where you go.'
If it's not random, it'll be easier to gather them all in one place.
Seong Jihan smiled sinisterly and entered the other two portals in turn.
'It's buried under the hill.'
Unlike humanity and the elves who attacked the hidden point, It seemed the
other races hadn't dug into the hill.
It was structured like an underground ossuary chamber.
'Let's just turn the head and go.'
After turning the heads in those two spaces all north, Seong Jihan entered
the portal on the elves' side again.
=Player Seong Jihan..
=Really skilled movements, It's as if he knows everything!
=He really is the elves' nemesis! Obliterating them in one strike!
=But what is he doing right now... seems to be gathering everything to the

north?
=Yes. The northern portal must somehow lead to where the elves are!
A man wholeheartedly sending four waves of undead to swarm the elves.
The viewers watched this with relief.
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-Did Seong Jihan have a feud with the elves lol -He's mobbing them LOL
-Of course he should, right? Gotta drag the 1st placers down.
-Those World Tree elves really need to be contained. There's already two
teams from the World Tree series in the same league right?
-Yeah... there can't be another one right?
-Oh no, hopefully not...
Flash! Flash!
While people were expressing cautious opinions about the elves, a horde of
undead began pouring out of the portal.
'Looks like I've gathered all the waves.'
The death knights filling up the space of the ossuary.
Compared to when they were first summoned, It seemed they had become
even more enhanced after receiving the death aura.
If you send these to attack through the northern portal, they'll charge at the
elves as wave monsters.
'Shall we go see.'
Seong Jihan leading the undead horde, was about to launch a full-scale in‐
vasion, however...
"Emergency situation has occurred!"
"We need to suppress the undead invaders."
"That person is leading the undead horde. Concentrate firepower on him!"
Even the top 100 elves weren't just idling around.
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They quickly formed an encirclement towards the ossuary.
"It's not an ordinary opponent..."
"30 sacrifices. Prepare for the Great Lich!"
"Understood!"
Seeing the highly enhanced undead horde led by Seong Jihan, the elves
promptly made a strategic judgment.
They organized themselves into a defense line against the approaching un‐
dead forces.
'The Great Lich... that's quite tricky.'
Hearing the elves' preparations from afar, Seong Jihan was about to launch
a preemptive attack before they finished, but.
'I need to show the elves' true nature to people once more.'
Since there was still leeway, he only stretched out a finger and slowly
marched the undead legions forward.
Thump! Thump!
As the death aura enhanced undead legions charged forward flying.
"Defend until the Great Lich is ready!"
"These undead are reinforced... don't let your guard down!"
The elves also began a fierce battle against the enhanced undead horde.
Despite gathering all four waves and having a highly enhanced Death
Knight, the elves weren't an easy opponent.
-Elves are pretty good at fighting, Even against the enhanced Death Knights
they can hold their own -About five elves died until now, right? Their re‐
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generation is seriously crazy LOL.
-Wow, did you just see that? Even though his leg was cut off, a new one
sprouted out in an instant LOL. They are really worthy of being ranked first
in the league.
-No way, are they real players? Why are they so strong? Even though about
30 of them are just standing there without fighting.
-But why is Seong Jihan just standing there with his arms crossed? I feel
like the game would be over if Seong Jihan stepped in since elves are strong
but Seong Jihan is on another level.
-He must have his own plans. Let's leave it to him!
As people were startled again at their strength while watching the battle be‐
tween elves and undead legions.
"Done...!"
"Great Lich, I summon you!"
The 30 elves who had finished the incantation simultaneously put their
hands on their chests.
Crack!
The elves who smashed their own bodies and pulled out their hearts.
'It's started.'
Seong Jihan, who had been quietly watching this, lowered his crossed arms
and slowly walked forward.
Boom!
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As the 30 hearts burst simultaneously, Simultaneously, the entire body of

the elves exploded in mid-air.
Blood and flesh scattering in all directions.
It gradually gathered in one area, starting to construct an enormous form.
And then.
Swoosh! Swoosh...
The fragments of the body that couldn't coalesce into one place rapidly re‐
generated into their original form as elves.
"I summon the Great Lich!"
The regenerated elves once again extracted and burst their own hearts.
As they did, the gigantic figure gradually took shape, adding flesh and
blood.
An elf breaking his own heart with an expressionless face, and a Great Lich
created through it.
-Whoa, this is insane...
-Ugh... so creepy...
-Taking down all elf pictures in my room rn
-Whoa, it feels like it's going to come out in my dreams.
Humanity, who had almost lost to the elves in the preliminaries, even peo‐
ple who had a positive view due to their otherworldly beauty turned away at
this sight.
Boom!
After sacrificing themselves and exploding their hearts for the 10th time.
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The elves no longer regenerated.
Instead, the Great Lich had completely taken form.
A giant of light, composed of radiance like the sun.
Just by existing, it emitted tremendous divine power.
-It sucked elf hearts while being born and now it's sparkling like crazy lol -
Were we supposed to wait for that...?
-Yeah... feels like the villain waited for the transformation scene in a show
to finish right...?
-Waiting for the transformation is a rule, LOL.
Flash! Flash!
As lights flashed from the Great Lich.
Whoosh...!
The undead legions who had been battling fiercely instantly burned away
entirely.
Despite being enhanced by the power of death, The death knights couldn't
withstand even a single strike.
That was how powerful the unleashed might of the Great Lich was, on a
different dimension.
-... Waiting was the right choice, huh?
-Whoa, but... it's too much...
-Are elves really crazy? What if something like that was in the Bronze
League ㅠㅠ
As the Great Lich began to exert its power, people became tense.
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No, that power went way beyond the limit, didn't it?
-Ah, Seong Jihan probab ly predicted everything, LOL...
-Right. Doesn't he have premonition abilities?
-He sees everything beforehand!
If it was Seong Jihan with premonition abilities that's fine but.
If it wasn't, why would he foolishly stand there and wait to fight that thing?
He'd only get cursed out.
'Still strong as ever.'
Seeing the Great Lich, Seong Jihan recalled memories about it.
The Great Lich the elves had sacrificed themselves to summon.
It had a set summon duration.
'5 minutes.'
If you endure for 5 minutes,
The Great Lich wouldn't be able to maintain that giant form and disappear
as light.
So normally, humanity's way of dealing with the Great Lich was to buy
time.
Run away and strictly maintain a defensive posture.
They simply waited until the summoning time of the Great Lich was over.
Seong Jihan, in his past life, also followed this protocol.
However,
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'Now I need to find a different strategy.'
He couldn't always be afraid and trampled by the elves and the Great Lich.
Aside from the 5 minute time limit, He had to find means to deal with the
Great Lichs.
"Hey you over there! That guy messed things up...!"
"Quickly eliminate him! And we'll go past the portal and kill the players!"
The leader of the elves said this while gritting his teeth and gave orders to
the Great Lich.
Then, a flash of light emanated from the Great Lich's body.
A powerful divine force concentrated on Seong Jihan.
It seemed like it could purify and burn him away in an instant.
However,
"Huh..."
Despite facing tremendous lights head-on.
The death aura surrounding Seong Jihan's body didn't disappear at all.
"What, this can't pierce through either?"
"W, what...! The dark aura is blocking the Great Lich's light...!"
To Seong Jihan's surprise as well,
The Great Lich's light had no effect whatsoever on the power of death.
"Hmm."
Why is it like this?
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With a tilted head, Seong Jihan approached the continuously shining Great
Lich.
Flash! Flash!
As if to block that approach, the Great Lich spat out lights several times
but.
Having semi-fused with the power of death, Seong Jihan lightly blocked
those.
Rather, the parts that hadn't fused stung from the heat of the light.
'I need to spread it wider across my whole body.'
He rearranged the gathered power of death across his entire skin.
"Attack!"
"Block his approach!"
As the elves were surprised at Seong Jihan's power and tried to obstruct his
approach from the Great Lich.
"In the face of death, all things are equal. I, Seong Jihan, will preside over
this in the name of the Reaper."
Facing them, Seong Jihan instantly finished his chant as if rapping this
time.
Then the elves, unable to withstand Death Sentence, collapsed while bleed‐
ing out.
As over 30 elves died in an instant.
"...Re..retreat!"
The elven leader quickly pulled back his body.
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"...At this rate we'll get last place. We head to the eastern portal!"
Then entering in a scattered manner, the elves charged into the eastern por‐
tal.
It seemed they judged that if the game ended here, their score would be last
place. So they tried to drag down other races to rock bottom as well.
'Quite quick judgement.'
Chasing down all the elves wouldn't have felt cathartic anyway, So for now,
the Great Lich took priority.
Fortunately the eastern portal didn't lead to humanity's portal, So he decided

to go later while thinking that.
Seong Jihan approached the continuously shining Great Lich.
'The Great Lich's basis is the power of life but...'
The power of life, completely opposite to the power of death.
He didn't understand why this power didn't pierce through the power of
death either.
The two were extreme opposites.
Normally they would collide intensely with life or death on the line, Yet
harboring these doubts, as Seong Jihan approached the interior of the Great
Lich.
When he reached a certain spot, his eyes flashed.
"Oh ho."
Inside the giant spirit of light.
Filled to the brim with the power of life,
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An incompatible power was nested inside that shouldn't be there.
If he hadn't gained the power of death beforehand.
And also, if he didn't have past experience using the power of life.
He wouldn't have noticed the stealthily hidden incompatible location.
Its position was below the giant's torso.
"Come out."
When Seong Jihan blew the power of death in there.
Swoosh...
Fragments of the elves that had disappeared floated out from there.
Just like earlier in the ossuary.
Elven fragments having a structure similar
To a pyramid of corpses.
Seeing that, Seong Jihan's eyes lit up.
'So this is the weak point.'
When he smashed that with his fist.
The form of the Great Lich crumbled in an instant.
And
['Constellation Yggdrasil' requests information disclosure about the player.]
[The sponsoring constellations, 'Brahma' and 'Constellation of the Dead

Star' oppose this and have exercised veto power.]
[The information disclosure request is rejected.]
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Messages quickly floated up over Seong Jihan's eyes.
***
[Note:- Yggdrasil is an important feature of Norse mythology. It is the

Norse tree of life, encompassing all nine worlds that are part of the ancient
Norse view of the cosmos. It is an ash tree in which all of the worlds, in‐
cluding the world of humans and the world of the gods, nestle among the
branches and roots.]
***
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Chapter 203
***
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"Yggdrasil?"
Seong Jihan looked at the system messages with interest.
Yggdrasil.
The World Tree that appears in Norse mythology, so massive that it reached
the universe, hence the nickname Universe Tree.
It's probab ly the most famous World Tree known to humanity.
'At this moment when the Great Spirit's weakness has been discovered...
Does this name have something to do with the World Tree Alliance?'
[Note:- Changing 'Great Lich' to 'Great Spirit' for better consistency.]
In his previous life, Yggdrasil had not been revealed until the extinction of
humanity.
But it seems that due to Seong Jihan's many unpredictable actions toward
the elves, a high-ranking constellation of the World Tree Alliance had
stepped in.
[Your sponsoring constellation, 'Brahma,' warns you to never get involved

with Yggdrasil.]
[They insist that If you must get involved, it is strongly recommended to

just exchange information and then leave.]
'Brahma' displayed a strong wariness towards Yggdrasil.
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In addition:
[Your sponsoring constellation, 'Constellation of Dead Star,' sends an urgent

message.]
[The sponsor constellation is blocked. Would you like to unblock?]
Until now, if 'Constellation of Dead Star' sent any useless messages, a win‐
dow to unblock them would not pop up, but this time it seems that the sys‐
tem asked for Seong Jihan's consent because it was an emergency.
'I might as well listen to what this is about.'
When Seong Jihan lifted the block:
[Your sponsoring constellation, 'Constellation of Dead Star,' emphasizes

that you should neither listen to nor look at the World Tree Alliance's pro‐
posal.]
[They notify you that many who have fallen for the sweet words of the old
woman have ended up becoming trees.]
An old woman, is this referring to Yggdrasil?
'But isn't the disclosure of information rejected anyway? Can a proposal

even come through?'
As Seong Jihan pondered this doubt:
[The 'Universe Tree Yggdrasil' makes an offer to the player in hideout sta‐
tus.]
[We want to sponsor you who have shown great potential. Please disclose
your information. Just reveal your information and I will give you 100 tril‐
lion GP.]
100 trillion GP?
34
⦘
Last time, during the elf exec ution, they called for 1,000 trillion GP to annul
it.
Does the World Tree Alliance print GP, or is their sense of money com‐
pletely paralyzed?
Perplexed, the Seong Jihan didn't respond.
[Oh, we missed adding a zero. It's 1000 trillion GP.]
Once again, a respectful message from the Universe Tree Yggdrasil's side
arrived.
A triumphant scale, increasing the GP tenfold in a flash.
Seong Jihan seemed to understand why his sponsoring constellations

warned so strongly against their proposal.
Even Seong Jihan, who harbors hatred for the World Tree Alliance, flinched
momentarily because of their overwhelming financial onslaught.
'It's not permanently hidden, it's just for six months...'
They probab ly didn't know it was limited to 6 months, so they called an ex‐
orbitant amount.
Six months of hideout status or 1000 trillion GP.
If it were an ordinary player, they would have chosen the latter without hes‐
itation, but the Seong Jihan thought differently.
"I'll reject it."
The situation was financially stable for now.
Rather than accepting that and falling under the influence of the World Tree
Alliance.
It was better to buy more time, even if only for 6 months.
35
⦘
Upon that,
[To reject this proposal so categ orically... we must pay more attention to
you. We will wait for the day when your information is disclosed.]
The Universe Tree Yggdrasil ended the message politely.
'But the context is, "just you wait until disclosure"...'
Having become an adversary to the World Tree Alliance, it was inevitable.
It seemed he had gained the attention of a troublesome opponent.
'I need to grow as much as possible in the remaining six months.'
And that meant dominating this game first.
Turning off the message from Yggdrasil, Seong Jihan looked towards the
east portal where the elves had fled.
The elves, who couldn't afford to be last, invaded the territory of another
race.
'If I wipe both of them out from there, it should work.'
Seong Jihan's form quickly headed towards the eastern portal.
=The game situation is completely bizarre!
=Wasn't this originally a defense map? The monsters are controlled by the
Seong Jihan, and the elves are slaughtering orcs while avoiding him!
=The Orc tribe... seems to consist only of warriors. They're extremely vul‐
nerab le to long-range attacks!
Because of Seong Jihan, what was supposed to be a defensive game turned

into a full-blown invasion.
36
⦘
On the humans' channel 0, the fight was now more about alien races than
humans.
=Elves are strong. Really strong! The orcs have now fallen to the lowest
rank, overwhelmed by the elves.
=It hasn't even been 10 minutes since the fight started and there are only 30
orcs left alive! Brutally trampled by the numerically inferior elves!
The elves, using their elem

ental magic, bombarded from the air.
The orcs tried to respond to the aerial assault, either by flying or throwing
axes, but.
The difference in the racial specs was too severe.
-Elves are a cheat race, aren't they? Spirit magic is just insane!
-Wow, did you see that? The elf got hit in the forehead with an axe, but it
regenerated instantly. What kind of monsters are they?
-What about Seong Jihan who dealt with them?
-Seong Jihan is just an OP existence LOL
While one side was engaged in a fierce struggle among races.
"Ah, it's boring..."
"Monsters are on our side, so there's nothing to do."
"I was so nervous during the Diam

ond Promotion Match. It turns out it
wasn't necessary."
Aside from Seong Jihan, the human side just sat down, idly scratching the
ground.
=Humans look remarkably peaceful!
37
⦘
=The cameras assigned to humans have nothing to do. It seems like we only
need to focus on Seong Jihan!
=True. Aren't we relying too much only on one player?
=Where else do we have a player to rely on? Without him, we'd be in the
same situation as orcs.
With nothing to comment on, human commentators had to change the

screen.
The only person left to watch was Seong Jihan.
=Seong Jihan... enters the eastern gate and exits the underground chamber!
=The undead legion from all four Ossuaries are following him. Poor orcs,
it's a bolt from the blue!
As the commentator said, the map assigned to the orcs was now in full
chaos.
Elves, undead, and one human, all mixed up.
Magic bursts everywhere, and collisions occurred everywhere.
Among them, suffering the greatest damage were the orcs.
"K-krk... What the hell is this!"
"Why the hell are other races here!"
The orcs, who had prepared only for the undead, thinking it was a normal
defense map, suffered substantial losses from the sudden appearance of
elves.
We're both going up to diam

ond, how can there be such a gap in the power?
The orcs trembled as they looked at the elves reigning from the sky like
messengers.
38
⦘
"We're last, the last!"
"These crazy pointy-eared guys were originally last...!"
Bang! Bang!
As powerful magic rained down from the sky again.
"Is this the end...?"
The orcs were bracing for annihilation.
"There."
Swoosh!
Seong Jihan rose into the sky above the orcs and then, from his hands, a
crimson light extended.
It spread widely, protecting both him and the orcs.
Boom! Boom!
Then, magic exploded simultaneously in the air.
When the fatal blow to obliterate the orcs was blocked, the elves gnashed
their teeth.
"It's him!"
"He followed us all the way here. It's annoying...!"
"...Orders have been given from above. Collect his flesh or blood!"
"Prepare for the Great Spirit transformation again!"
In that short time, whatever orders had been received.
39
⦘
Elves, who had escaped Seong Jihan and attempted to make a getaway,
once again tried to use the Great Spirit Transformation.
Thud!
In the process of pulling out their hearts to create a giant, Great Spirit
Transformation.
All elves except the leader immediately dedicated themselves to this.
"Kururr... what are they doing?"
"Now's the time. Throw the axes!"
The orcs, who had no intention of waiting for the transformation time,
threw axes at the elves in unison.
"Sylph. Knock them down."
But their interception was entirely blocked by the remaining elf leader.
The orcs naturally looked towards Seong Jihan.
"...What's he doing?"
"Why is he waiting?"
"Is this race... humanity? Strong, but seems like a race with a dull mind."
Humans were ridiculed for their intellect by the orcs. Seong Jihan, hearing
this from above, couldn't help but feel awkward.
'I need to test the identified weak point.'
Having identified a potential weak point in the Great Spirit, he merely

crossed his arms and watched the transformation.
And Soon,
40
⦘
A giant light giant, generated from the sky, touched the ground with its legs.
"Humans! Such foolishness! Why did you just stand there waiting for such
a monster to appear?!"
"That, that monster... It's enormous. We're done..."
The orcs despaired at the sight of the light giant, blaming Seong Jihan.
Why would you wait for such a thing?
Meanwhile, the elf leader clearly instructed the giant, "Great Spirit. Just in‐
flict a scratch on him! I'll make sure to get his blood and flesh... and es‐
cape!"
The elf leader prioritized the command from above. The Great Spirit moved
according to the elf leader's request.
Flash! Flash!
Bright light cascaded down towards Seong Jihan.
When some orcs inadvertently closed their eyes due to the intense light,
Chiiiiik...!
The widely spread power of death easily repelled the light of the Great
Spirit.
"It couldn't be... that attack..."
They thought it was the end.
Instead, the assault vanished, leaving the orcs looking at Seong Jihan with
amazement.
How could such an overwhelming attack be blocked?
"Humanity... how strong can it be?"
41
⦘
As the orcs unwittingly said this,
Swoosh!
Seong Jihan looked towards the orcs and asked, "Hey, do you have any sup‐
porters?"
The voice of the human came through the BattleNet's automatic translation.
Despite his overwhelming strength, his voice wasn't as intense compared to

the orcs.
He looked frail on the outside, but was he hiding immense strength inside?
The orc leader, thinking this, answered Seong Jihan's question, "A sup‐
porter? We've a shaman. Yes."
"Come with me. Oh, does your shaman have a magic attack with divine
power? Ranged."
"...Yes, they do."
"Prepare that."
"Ah, understood. Ushon, go."
The orc shaman prepared a magic imbued with holy power, as dictated by
Seong Jihan, an alien race. They seemed to be enchanted by his orders.
"Attack the lower part of that Great Spirit."
"That thing... you mean?"
"Yeah."
Following Seong Jihan's direction, the orc shaman prepared magic with di‐
vine power.
Flash! Flash!
42
⦘
In the meantime, the Great Spirit expended a lot of energy trying to break
Seong Jihan's barrier.
None of his attacks managed to penetrate.
"What kind of power is this...!"
The elf leader anxiously looked back and forth between the Great Spirit and
Seong Jihan when, "Attacking with the power of light against that light?"
"Yeah."
"It should be useless... Are humans stupid?"
"Just do as you're told."
"Ah, got it. Ashpalaka!"
Flash!
Shaman Ushon waved the staff, and a white wolf's head burst forth, flying
toward the light giant.
Considering its size and the light emitted, it seemed likely to disappear mid‐
way compared to the Great Spirit.
However...
"Uh...."
The wolf's head, aiming for the designated position, cracked the body of the
giant of light upon impact.
"What, what's going on?! The Great Spirit..."
"Huh? Me?"
The elf leader, bewildered, and the supporter Ushon, who couldn't believe
he succeeded, saw the giant's body recover slightly.
43
⦘
Zzzzzzz...
However, it was noticeably weaker than before.
Seong Jihan became sure of something as he watched.
'Clearly, the weakness from earlier is the weak point. It's vulnerab le to Di‐
vine power.'
The dead elves hidden in the belly button area of the Great Spirit.
Targeting that spot with divine power surely gave a significant blow.
If a Diam ond-level or higher player were to strike, it might show even more
significant effects.
Now that he knew the weakness was clear, Seong Jihan made a decisive
move.
"Let's finish this."
Seong Jihan swiftly approached the radiant giant, breaking its weak point.
Woah...
The light dispersed, and the giant vanished.
The elf leader, from above, watched it with vacant eyes.
"It's... it doesn't make sense..."
"You are the last one. Now go to the bottom."
Boom!
As the final survivor's body exploded,
"The Elves are dead!"
44
⦘
"They can't regenerate!"
"Humans. They're strong! They saved us! They're our friends!"
The orcs on the ground cheered.
Suddenly appearing and sweeping away the formidable elves, they even
called Seong Jihan a friend.
But that 'friend'.
"You guys. Why are you happy?"
"..."
"It's your turn next."
He had no intention of becoming friends with them.
And then...
Thud! Thud!
Undead forces swarmed in from all directions.
"Oh, no...!"
The faces of the orcs turned pale.
Above them, the blades of the Death Knights descended.
=Seong Jihan. He sweeps through the Mechan with the undead!
=In the league competition, all the opponents have disappeared!
"What will happen now...?"
"Ah, ah...! The game is ending!"
45
⦘
With no opponents left in the league competition, it automatically ended.

While the other teams were competing fiercely in defense, elimin ating each
other, this side seemed to have the opponents completely wiped out, result‐
ing in an automatic first place.
Perhaps it was because they ended the game in such a unique way, Seong
Jihan received a deluge of reward messages.
[You have cleared the constellation quest.]
Among all, he focused on one line.
'Finally, I'll obtain it. The Void.'
***
***
46
⦘
Chapter 204
***
***
Entering the Space League, the Diam

ond Promotion Match turned into a
League Competition. The winner of this competition, divided into five
groups, was none other than humanity. The groups comprised humans,
elves, mechan, and orcs.
Before the Giant Graveyard map changed, they successfully concluded the
game.
=Since the game was cleared before the map change, humanity's 1st place is
confirmed!
=The 1st place reward has already been revealed... Oh, this is!
=The number of TOs that can be earned in the promotion match has in‐
creased by 10%!
=And that's across all leagues' promotion matches! It's for a limited one-
year only, but it's a huge number...!
Humanity's victory in the league competition yielded better rewards than

expected.
The chance to promote in all leagues' promotion matches increased by 10%.
-TO (Total Outcomes) increased? Wow, awesome.
-Isn't it 50% now? So doesn't this mean 60% of the players will advance if
they enter promotion matches?
47
⦘
-Yeah Yeah Yeah. My brother always fails to get to platinum, but he might
now LOL
-Aren't we just going to produce a bunch of weak Diam

onds this way?
-Even if they're weak, more Diam onds are better. It means the number of
strong players is increasing.
-Seong Jihan did another big thing!
Even after discussing the impact of this reward for a while, the commenta‐
tors showed the scoreboards of the league competition.
=It seems that the games on the other side are still in progress. The scores
of the ?? species are still changing!
=It would be nice to show the games in other groups as well. Oh, but the
World Tree Elves we met in the opening match are overwhelmingly leading
in Group 1.
=The World Tree Elves... are certainly powerful. Although he seems weak
against Seong Jihan, the power of the race itself is undoubtedly exceptional.
=Don't tell me some of those ?? races include more of the elves?
=Ah, come on!
The World Tree Elves were overwhelmingly leading in Group 1 with a

score of 71. The 1st place in Groups 2, 4, and 5 marked as ?? was also
nearly identical, with a similar score, equally securing the 1st place.
-- All the first places have similar scores.
-- Don't tell me they're all World Tree elves? LOL
-Well, surely not...
-Don't say unfortunate things.
48
⦘
As people debated whether this coincidence in other games' scoreboards

was by chance or not, Seong Jihan logged out to his penthouse to review his
personal game rewards.
[You've achieved the special accomplishment, 'League Competition Vic‐

tory'.]
[You've gained 500,000 achievement points.]
[You've achieved the special accomplishment, 'League Competition MVP'.]
[You've gained 500,000 achievement points.]
[You've achieved the special accomplishment, 'Giant Graveyard Dissolu‐

tion'.]
[You've gained 1,000,000 achievement points.]
[You've achieved the special accomplishment, 'Offense Over Defense'.]
[You've gained 1,000,000 achievement points.]
Perhaps because he finished the game with offense on a defense map.
Seong Jihan achieved several commendations in total, gaining 3 million

points.
[Your level has increased by 10.]
[You're rewarded with 100 million GP.]
In addition to becoming the MVP of the promotion match, his level in‐
creased, and the GP reward amount jumped significantly, receiving 1 billion
GP.
'Perhaps because I declined 1,000 trillion, 1 billion seems too small.'
Compared to the GP offered by the Universe Tree Yggdrasil, the GP reward

had a difference similar to that between the sun and a firefly. It was barely
49
⦘
worth noticing. Instead, his focus shifted to the last line.
[You have cleared the constellation quest.]
His focus was concentrated on the last sentence.
[The 'Constellation of the Dead Star' attempts to summon the player to the
'Void Swamp' to dispense the quest reward.]
[Will you respond to the summon?]
The Void Swamp.
Although it sounded suspicious and ominous, Seong Jihan couldn't divert

his gaze from the last line.
[Activities related to the 'Void' stat will be safely conducted under the su‐
pervision of the BattleNet system.]
When the BattleNet system unexpectedly assured safety, he made up his

mind.
"All right."
Seong Jihan accepted the summoning.
'Is this the Void Swamp?'
Seong Jihan, who responded to the summoning, looked around. A world

tainted with crimson and black. Faint light descended from the sky, and a
massive whirlpoo slowly rotated on the ground.
'The energy from the whirlpoo feels tremendous.'
It didn't suck in Seong Jihan, but
50
⦘
A tremendous force was felt in the slowly turning whirlpool, its limit im‐
measurable.
As he focused on the whirlpool, wondering what might be happening in‐

side, a familiar, casual voice reached his ears.
"Silly head! You've arrived!"
From behind him, a familiar frivolous voice sounded.
Seong Jihan turned his head slightly, widening his eyes.
"This time it's not a skeleton."
"If I'm to give you Void, I need to come in person."
Karlein, The Constellation of Dead Star, who usually appeared as an un‐

dead, was different this time. Clad in a black robe, a white-haired man
stood, grinning and speaking in a somewhat lighthearted manner. His red
eyes were dim and hazy, but his exposed appearance was surprisingly beau‐
tiful, comparable to an elf.
"Are you human?"
"Human... that frail kind? I was several orders of magnitude above. Hmm.
Right. In your terms... divine, no, demigod?"
"Half-god?"
"Yes. Once upon a time, I was quite splendid. Look at this."
Karlein pointed under his eye.
A distinct sign that stretched down to his jawline was written.
Though it seemed uninterpretable since it was an extraterrestrial language,

Flash!
When light emerged from the script, it was automatically translated.
51
⦘
[This item belongs to the Solar King]
[Only he shall possess it]
[Those who covet will be destroyed, through three generations.]
"What's this?"
"The Solar King, who favored me, branded me with this. Kiki."
"Can't you, a constellation, get rid of that?"
"Well, various circumstances... but if our heads get together, everything

seems solvable!"
Karlein stretched both arms towards Seong Jihan.
The hem of the robe slipped slightly, exposing his forearm beneath the
hand.
Unlike the face or hand, there was only bone in Karlein's arm.
'The neck is also just bones.'
Was it a mix of an undead and a demigod? It did seem more complicated

than when he was a mere skull, but.
'Well, it's none of my concern.'
He came here only to obtain the ability of the Void.
Seong Jihan waved his hands at Karlein, who was trying to approach.
"Enough with that. Give me the Void quickly."
"Aw. Got it. Hey. But, is it okay if I don't delve too deeply?"
"Why?"
52
⦘
"If you get too entangled with Void, you won't live long. I can't have you as
my head."
"...Why won't one live long?"
Seong Jihan asked Karlein with a stiff face.
Even being associated with the Void was somewhat uncomfortable for him,
on one hand.
And now the star's words made it impossible not to worry.
"Void itself doesn't allow for longevity. It ensures you can't outlast your nat‐
ural lifespans."
"What does that mean, exactly?"
"You're human, right? How long do you live?"
"Uh...on average 70 years?"
"Really? That's all you can live?"
Karlein shrugged and placed his palm on the ground.
Then,
Boooom...
From the whirlpool on the ground came a purple energy.
"With your abilities, passing 70 should be simple. Hundreds of years? That

would be too easily exceeded, I reckon. Including BattleNet's various sup‐
port effects, you might see over a thousand years."
"I have no plans to live that long. But according to what you said, I can live
up to 70, right?"
53
⦘
"Yes. You can enjoy the lifespans given to your kind. But no more than
that."
"Then that's fine."
"Ha... even though you say so now, when death comes, everyone changes
their mind. I, who oversees the power of death, can guarantee that at 70
you'll be desperate to live longer."
Seong Jihan pondered over these words.
Now, in his twenties, he couldn't see himself living a thousand more years.
But, if he really did live much longer, his thoughts might change.
What creature likes dying?
Especially someone like Seong Jihan, with longevity that transcends race,
would likely prefer to live a long and healthy life.
They wouldn't welcome death.
"What about you? You have the Void ability yourself. From what you're
saying, Void doesn't seem to suit the undead?"
"I haven't delved too deeply because I need to roam across the cosmos to
annihilate all kings."
Pat! Pat!
Pointing to his cheek, the 'Property of the Solar King' and smirking, was
Karlein Displaying this, he spread his palms completely.
"That's why I only have 10 in the Void stat."
"10? That's it?"
"Yeah. If you decide to take it, I'll lose 5."
54
⦘
"Hmm..."
"What do you think? You still want it?"
"Yeah, give it."
Despite listening to all the warnings from Karlein, Seong Jihan did not take
long to decide.
'Can't even be sure to live another ten years, let alone a thousand.'
In this world where one competes with gods and overpowered beings.
Anything that can be swiped with power must be used.
And to analyze the Void ability, he also had to find his sister.
"I understand. I'll give it... but don't rush to commit your stat points. You
might really regret it later."
"Just give it to me quickly."
"100. 100 is the limit. Never exceed it. Really. Head, We've got to last a
long time!"
Eyeing Karlein and his sincere concern, Seong Jihan smiled faintly and ges‐
tured.
"Just give it already."
"Alright. Here you go."
Whoosh...
The swirling whirlpool, which was rotating clockwise, started spinning anti-
clockwise.
[The 'Constellation of Dead Star' bestows upon you, his own power, 'Void'.]
55
⦘
[Do you wish to acquire 'Void'?]
As the system message rose before him, Seong Jihan didn't hesitate and
pressed yes.
[Gradeless ability, 'Void,' acquired.]
[Void stats won't be affected by titles or other stat+ effects.]
[The more you invest stat points, the higher your chances of being bound by
Void's will.]
Gradeless, huh.
Although it was a gradeless ability, it was entirely different from the powers
of constellations, such as the Martial soul.
Seong Jihan checked his status window.
Beneath several impressive abilities,
[Void: 5]
Void stood out with just a meager score of 5.
'At least I have a place to spend additional stat points that were piling up.'
With Martial Soul, which could only rise by developing martial arts and
stored additional stat points.
But Void stats seemed free from such constraints, allowing for any amount
to be invested.
Of course, considering Karlein's warning before investing any stats.
'Thinking of living for a thousand years...'
For Seong Jihan, who had witnessed Earth's destruction in a past life and
became an enemy of the gods, It was more urgent to upgrade his current
abilities.
56
⦘
And
'I've got to get my sister out of there.'
With just minimal analysis of Void, he intended to fully commit stat points.
Then recalling something, he asked Karlein,
"Hey. But can I take away my niece's Void ability?"
"'Niece'? Oh, that girl? That won't be easy. She seems quite entangled with
Void... you'll need to invest a bit into Void."
"Ah. I see I need to invest a bit."
"Hey! What are you talking about? That's a firm 70-death sentence!"
"That's enough for me."
"It's not enough for me! And, if you put it that way, isn't 70 years enough
for your niece too?"
"I chose with my will, and Seah didn't know. So I have to let her choose."
At Seong Jihan's words, Karlein looked at him as if he was incredulous.
Why does this guy not want to live long?
"Hey. Seriously. Consider carefully before you invest in Void. Once it's 100,
there is no going back."
"Enough, just send me back now."
"Hey, hey. Wait a minute. Let's talk more. Has the power of death been use‐
ful? If you become my head, you could enjoy it a thousand or even a mil‐
lion times more!"
While arguing about being sent back home, Karlein began sticking to him
again, and Seong Jihan furrowed his eyebrows.
57
⦘
Come to think of it, this power transfer had been safely managed under the
oversight of the BattleNet system.
"System. Send me back home."
[The 'Void' transfer for player 'Seong Jihan' is complete.]
[You will return to your original location.]
"Oh what, you're leaving already! Hey...! Don't ever reach 100!"
Karlein warned until the very end not to exceed 100 points.
Having returned from the Void Swamp,
'Maybe I should listen to Seah's intentions at least once. I can't just absorb
her ability.'
As Seong Jihan pondered what to do regarding his niece's ability of Void,

[You've acquired Void ability.]
[The achievement shop has opened.]
[Hidden conditions have been met, the achievement shop is revamped.]
[A secret store opens.]
'...A secret store?' Seong Jihan watched the suddenly appearing system mes‐
sage with wide eyes.
***
***
58
⦘
Chapter 205
***
***
'I was already considering gradually upgrading the shop, but it turned out to
be a secret shop.'
Achievement shop.
Once heavily utilized, it had recently been in a state of accumulating points

as there were few places to spend them.
Nevertheless, now that he had fulfilled the donation requirement, a prereq‐

uisite for upgrading the shop, Seong Jihan decided to upgrade it.
I would have started spending points in earnest by the end of January, now
that I've also been promoted to Diam
ond.
'A secret shop... I need to see what it sells.'
Seong Jihan opened the secret shop.
[Secret Shop -- Void LV.1]
Secret Shop Upgrade -- 5,000,000P
Status Window Enhancement LV.1 -- 1,000,000P
Class Enhancement LV.1 -- 1,000,000P
Title Fusion -- 1,000,000P
Alternate World Space -- Open for 1,000,000P, consumes 10,000P per day
when activated [All items in the secret shop have an expiration date, and
59
⦘
their validity period is proportional to the void stats.]
'The amount of points required is astronomical.'
Secret Shop -- Void.
Even though it was only level 1, the required achievement points were stag‐
gering. Moreover, there was no limit. If Seong Jihan had to rely on achieve‐
ment points as before, he might have hesitated to approach it.
'But now, with over ten million points remaining, I have some room.'
Seong Jihan, who shone twice in the Space League, had earned an enor‐
mous amount of achievement points.
After making significant achievements in the Space League twice in a row,

Seong Jihan's current achievement points exceeded ten million. He decided
to experimentally invest some points.
'Still, spending one million each time is a bit much. Let's raise the Void stat
to 50.'
The Constellation of the Dead Star warned me not to invest in Void stats.
But it should be okay if I don't go up to 100, right?
Besides, with the Void stat of only 5, there seemed to be no issue. Other
than the secret shop, Seong Jihan didn't notice any significant changes.
'I need to find out what this ability is.'
Determined to invest, Seong Jihan wholeheartedly invested the stat points

he had accumulated. Initially, the Void stat increased smoothly.
'Gradually, the additional point requirements are increasing.'
Later on, it started requiring two additional points, and in the end, three
points were needed to increase Void by 1. Seong Jihan ended up using all
his points at Void 42, feeling excited.
60
⦘
'Up to 100 will take a while.'
I don't have to worry about being bound to the will of Void, for now.
Seong Jihan examined the tangible effects on his body for the number of
points invested.
And
The power of death, which didn't show much effect in the real world, As
soon as he invested points in Void stats, he discovered it began to exert a
presence like in the games.
'In addition... The shadow ability has become even more distinct.'
In a broader sense, it seemed to enhance powers related to the dark at‐

tribute, shadow, and death. Was Void reinforcing all of these? Sung Jihan
was discerning the changes in his internal energy when, [You can absorb
'Shadow sword' and 'Death' stats into Void.]
[Would you like to absorb?]
[Upon absorption, Void stats will rise. Under the jurisdiction of Void, you
can use both powers in an enhanced form.]
An additional message popped up for Seong Jihan.
Was the Void ability a higher concept that encompassed all attributes related
to the darkness?
'I should absorb Death that has an expiration date first.'
Death's power supplied to me for a week by the Constellation of the Dead

Star.
Since it would disappear later, it was better to use it to enhance the Void.
Seong Jihan proceeded to absorb death first.
Then,
61
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Flash!
A crimson light flashed across Seong Jihan's body and disappeared into his
body.
[The stat 'Death' and the skill 'Death Sentence' are fused into the Void.]
[The Void stat increases by 5.]
'Just 5?'
The death ability, which had been quite useful and powerful.
But even with an expiration date, it only increased the stat by 5? Seong Ji‐
han was initially slightly disappointed with the result.
'No, this... now I can use Void just like Death's ability. And the power of the
ability has strengthened even more than in the game.'
After testing various aspects of his body, Seong Jihan's eyes lit up.
In the game, if absorbing the power of death showed a 20% enhancement

buff effect, the power bound to the Void now seemed to have a 40% effect.
For Seong Jihan, who had already become stronger, a 40% buff was a
tremendous boost.
Seeing this doubled effect, his attention naturally turned to Shadow sword
as well.
"Ariel, come out."
Ariel who had been sealed inside for a while to completely break the Con‐
stellation Quest with the power of death, She emerged from Seong Jihan's
arm and revealed her form as a shadow elf.
"Oh, is it time to lift the seal? Master."
"Yeah. You're not completely entangled with my 'Shadow sword', right?"
62
⦘
"Master's Shadow sword? I only get strengthened by the shadow energy

from there. I'm not tied to stats. I'm a separ ate being."
"Then it should be fine to merge it with Void."
"Huh? Void? Why is that suddenly coming up?"
"Wait and see."
Sealed for a while, Ariel, unaware of what had happened, saw Seong Jihan
merging Shadow into Void.
[The stat 'Shadow sword' is fused into the Void.]
[The Void stat increases by 8.]
Flash!
In a flash, Seong Jihan merged Shadow sword into Void, surprising Ariel.
"Uh, what is this?"
Growing rapidly, Ariel's head reached the ceiling. Her body was flashing vi‐
olet.
"Control that shadow energy for a second!"
"Ah, wait."
The shadow power, much stronger than the original Shadow sword due to
increased Void stats to 55, and the amplification effect, Ariel returned to her
original size once Seong Jihan recollected the energy.
"What... Master, this power...! It felt similar to when the Queen directly in‐
fused her energy into me."
"Comparable to the Constellation?"
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⦘
"Of course, the Queen has far more total shadow energy. But the precision
of energy was... really similar. Void... Does merging with Void unleash this
kind of power?"
Ariel was still in disbelief, touching herself all over.
'Shadow sword and the power of death have fused with the Void, becoming
much stronger than before... but I still don't quite get the Void itself.'
I understand that Void swallows darkness attributes and makes them its
own, But not quite what the Void ability itself is.
'I should dig deeper into Void later, let's make use of the shop first.'
Seong Jihan decided to focus on what he could do right now.
'Let's go for the enhancements first.'
He expended 2 million achievement points to choose the enhancement of

the status window and class.
Then,
[The status window is enhanced.]
[All stats in the status window are enhanced by 20%, and both the experi‐
ence gain and stat growth rate increase by 50%.]
[The enhancement effect will last for 55 weeks.]
[The 'Void' and 'Martial Soul' stats are not included in the enhancement.]
[The class is enhanced.]
[Class traits are enhanced, and the All for One effect is amplified by 100%.]
[The inspiration of Four-Style Player activates more frequently. When train‐

ing in the Alternate World, this inspiration will activate even more often.]
64
⦘
[The enhancement effect will last for 55 weeks.]
Even though the enhancement effects excluded Martial Soul and Void, the
benef its were significant enough for the 1 million points spent on each.
'Even though it's almost useless without the enhancement of Martial Soul
and Void, the growth speed has increased.'
Having become one of Earth's strongest warriors, Seong Jihan still had a
long way to go compared to a god. Nevertheless, he was quite pleased with
the effect this time.
And
'Both for 55 weeks... It matches the Void stat number. Seems intercon‐
nected.'
The effective period tied to the Void ability stats.
It seemed like every unit raised the period by one week.
'Among the effects of the Four-Style Player, does training in Alternate

World relate to 'Alternate World Space'?
The space of the Alternate World listed at the bottom of the secret shop.
I was puzzled at first about what use it could be.
But considering the Four-Style Player's additional effects, it seemed related

to space for training.
'I should try opening it.'
The space of Alternate World, costing 1 million to open and 10,000 per day
to maintain.
Although the cost was significant, Seong Jihan, who prioritized martial arts
enhancement, invested without hesitation.
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⦘
And
[The space of the Alternate World, accessible only by the player, opens.]
[The player can use this as a 'hideout' or 'training ground'.]
[For what purpose will you use the space of the Alternate World?]
A message came up asking about the use of the space of the Alternate
World.
Considering the Veil Of Void I gave to Seah,
The shelter of the Alternate World seemed like it would have a powerful ef‐
fect.
'But a training ground is better than a hideout.'
For Seong Jihan, who still has a long journey ahead, the latter was more ap‐
pealing.
When he chose the training ground,
[The space of the Alternate World will be utilized as a training location.]
[You can manifest the interior of the space as you wish.]
[Within the training ground, the flow of time is 5.5 times slower than real‐
ity.]
'5.5 times?' Does this also sync with the Void 55?
A training ground that gives 5.5 times more time.
Among the items sold in the shop, this was far more valuable to Seong Ji‐
han than the earlier enhancement effects.
"I'll use the training ground right now."
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⦘
[The space of the Alternate World is being manifested.]
As soon as Seong Jihan finished the promotion match.
He entered the newly created training ground.
And
'This is... revolutionary.'
There, he saw the possibility of perfecting Crimson Thunder.
In a hotel suite room in Vladivostok, Russia.
Vladimir, Russia's top warrior, knelt on the floor of the room, praying with
a reverent expression.
"Oh Constellation... The time has come."
Contrary to his appearance in the game, where he was known as a

Berserker, he now maintained an extremely polite attitude.
And for a good reason.
The subject of his current prayer was the sponsoring constellation that had
promised to further enhance him.
One day, the constellation 'The One Who Kills Gods' suddenly bestowed
support upon him.
This constellation, with an unusual name, had given him a specific com‐
mand.
[When you fight Seong Jihan, pray to me and I will descend upon you.]
-Seong Jihan... are you referring to?
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⦘
[Yes. Once the match is over, I will upgrade your gift to SSS grade.]
-But he is a hero to humanity. It's wrong to harm him...
Given the benef its humanity had gained from Seong Jihan's actions,
Vladimir seemed to be hesitating. Despite his defeat to Seong Jihan in the
game with South Korea, considering the Space League, his existence had
been crucial for humanity.
When he expressed his concerns, the constellation made a promise.
[It will be just a short education session within BattleNet. I will not cause
him any harm.]
-B-but...
[Otherwise, since he's humanity's hero, is it okay for Russia to just lose? If
so, just surrender and raise the white flag to Korea. What's the need for a
national match then?]
-...Alright, I understand.
Overwhelmed by the constellation's coercion, Vladimir eventually con‐

sented.
And on February 1st,
When the newly opened Northeast Asia League's first match clashed with
Korea, He agonized but eventually offered his prayer.
'...Yes. National matches are separ ate. I owe Seong Jihan, but if there's a
chance for Russia to win, we must win by any means. Besides, my gift will
be upgraded to SSS grade...!'
As Vladimir rationalized his decision,
Flash!
A dazzling white light enveloped his entire head suddenly.
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⦘
"Ah... Ah...!"
Overwhelmed by an immense headache, he grasped his head and collapsed.
Shortly thereafter,
Whoosh...
"Good."
The Constellation 'The One Who Kills Gods,' a servant of the Martial God,
Longinus, descended upon Vladimir.
"Seong Jihan... Let me educate you properly."
Taking possession of Vladimir's body, he chuckled sinisterly.
It was a confident smile, confident that he would emerge victorious.
***
***
69
⦘
Chapter 206
***
***
[Seong Jihan -- Yoon Sejin Duo. The Korean national team with the world's
top warriors.]
[Bettors are putting their chips on Korea for the 2021 Champions League
win! They secure the fourth-highest odds.]
[What changes with the end of the tutorial? The Ban System is now intro‐
duced even in national representative matches.]
In the first half of 2021, the BattleNet Regional League began in Northeast
Asia on February 1st.
Korea, which had struggled in the Northeast Asia League just six months
earlier, had completely turned around its evaluations and was now a favorite
for the championship.
-With Seong Jihan reaching Diam

ond and the return of Yoon Sejin, the
lineup is insane.
-Last year, when Yoon Sejin left, our country had the weakest lineup, but
now...
-Is Korea going to win the championship for the third time?!
The BattleNet Champions League.
Starting in 2010 and continuing for ten years.
There were only two countries that won the championship: the United
States 7 times and China 3 times.
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⦘
Although other countries made efforts in the Champions League, they

couldn't overcome the formidable wall of these two superpowers.
However, the Korean national team this year had Seong Jihan, who
emerged like a comet, and Yoon Sejin, the Sword King who regained his
senses in Japan and returned.
Could Korea stand a chance against the United States and China this year?
Such sentiments were spreading among the public.
Of course, there were concerns.
-Introducing the ban system is a bit worrisome...
-If Seong Jihan and Sword King get banned, our true skills will shine, right?
LOL.
-True skills? The skills that were at the bottom in Northeast Asia before
Seong Jihan came? LOL.
-We need more talent for real.
-Indeed, Yoon Seah should join the national team.
└ Did Seah come?
└ Hey, Se-ah.
└ Level up more and come.
"Damn it, how did they know?"
Yoon Seah frowned as she saw the replies to her comment.
People are so harsh.
She even won in the TOP 100 promotion match.
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⦘
There were no replies cheering for her inclusion in the national team; only
comments asking if Seah came.
"Our archery lineup is the strongest, how would a Diam

ond newbie like you
enter the national team?"
Seeing his niece's reply, Seong Jihan chuckled, eliciting an indignant re‐
sponse from her.
"Ah, I really got stronger! Late Bloomer raised to rank A, and even Void Ar‐
row got stronger with my promotion to Void Analyst."
"Do you still only have the Void Arrow skill?"
"Uh... I can't add skills until I get Void stats."
"You don't have Void stats?"
"Nope. They said I'd get it once I complete my analysis of Void Arrow..."
"I have them."
Yoon Seah widened her eyes at Seong Jihan's words.
"Huh? Uncle?"
"Yeah, I got it when I finished the Constellation Quest."
"Wow... Uncle, there's nothing you don't have."
"Have you heard more about Void from your mom?"
"No, not really since I became an analyst."
While talking, Yoon Seah summoned Void Arrow.
Unlike before, three violet arrows were created and the size was also con‐
siderably larger than before.
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⦘
'It has definitely gotten stronger.'
Void Arrow was an already overpowered skill.
Now that it had been enhanced, Yoon Se-ah felt confident that she could
perform well even in Diam
ond League.
"Still, only having one skill is a pity now that I've reached Diam
ond. Mom
is a constellation... why not give me a better skill?"
Yoon Seah fiddled with her Void Arrow, her mouth watering.
Although it was a good skill, she had been relying on it for too long.
"How can I get Void stats?"
"It's not that great, to be honest."
"Why?"
"Because you can only live until 70."
"... What do you mean?"
Seong Jihan explained what he knew about Void stats.
She tilted her head in confusion.
"So... instead of living long with artificially inflated physical abilities on

BattleNet, you just live an average human lifespan?"
"That's right. Though it's not confirmed because it's from that guy."
"Uh... if it's true, isn't that a bit disappointing? It's nice to live longer. And if
you live long with the abilities gained from BattleNet, wouldn't aging be
delayed?"
"There are even cases where aging was reversed."
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⦘
If you were Diam

ond, you were almost equivalent to virtual superheroes.
Among the elderly players, some were getting younger as time passed.
Considering such health, giving up the path to long life and accepting Void,
which follows the original lifespan, seemed a bit regrettable.
"Ugh... maybe I shouldn't get Void."
"Right, you should aim for longevity. I'll absorb that power for you."
"What about you? Shouldn't you be giving it up?"
"I need more power."
As long as there was an inevitable battle with the Gods, avoiding it was im‐
possible.
In such circumstances, age and longevity were not important.
He had to gather strength as best as he could.
Moreover...
'The secret shop and training ground obtained through Void are too good.'
A training ground where the flow of time changed proportionally to the

Void stat.
When one Earth day passed, you could spend 5.5 days there.
'And it's not just time that makes the training ground valuable. I can also ad‐
just the place.'
The default state of the training ground was a purple wasteland.
But by spending achievement points, he could call up environments from

maps he had previously played.
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⦘
Thus, Seong Jihan had been focusing on cultivating Martial Soul, and, 'I'm
just a step away now.'
Seeing its completion just ahead, he couldn't abandon Void due to the con‐
sequences on lifespans.
"Well... I'll keep it for now. I have to be selected for the national team if I
want to get Late Bloomer to S grade. I'll hold on to Void and aim for the na‐
tional team."
She decided to keep her powers for the moment after a brief internal debate
upon hearing Seong Jihan's explanation.
Her Gift went up to rank A after accepting the constellation.
To elev ate her gift to S grade, she now had to be selected for the national
team.
"Is being on the national team the condition now? How was the A-rank ef‐
fect?"
"The Constellation boasts that the bonus increases threefold. But since I
haven't received a bonus yet, I can't really tell."
There seemed to be some constraints.
Other than the advice given last time, the Witch of Void maintained silence.
"It hasn't been long since Jiah became a constellation. She'll give you some‐
thing later."
"No, I don't need a bonus. Just having her as a constellation is enough."
While the two of them were talking about Seong Jiah, Bzzzzz...
Seong Jihan's phone rang.
[Mr. Seong Jihan, We have arrived.]
75
⦘
"Okay, I'll come down."
It was a call from Manager Park Yoonsik, who came to pick up Seong Jihan
for the national team match.
Usually, players would gather at the BattleNet center beforehand for train‐
ing and coordination rather than on the match day.
But this time, Seong Jihan asked the coach for a special favor to focus on
the Void training ground.
-Personal training to do? Ah, of course. Feel free to do it. Just come to the
center on the day of the game. I'll send a limousine.
Coach Noh Youngjun responded gently to such a request. If it were any

other player, they would never have allowed such special treatment. How‐
ever, for Seong Jihan, who rescued the Korean national team from last place
and brought back the Sword King from Japan, Coach Noh was not so un‐
yielding.
He wasn't heartless enough to immediately tell Seong Jihan to come to the

center immediately.
"I'll have to watch the game from home today. Good luck, Uncle~"
"Sure. Take a rest."
Seong Jihan waved lightly to Yoon Seah and stepped into the elev ator.
=The 2021 Northeast Asia League, first-half season finally begins today!
=The first game kicks off with a match between South Korea and Russia!
=Although the Space League has started, the regional leagues continue as
usual, right?
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⦘
=Yes, of course. Depending on the national rankings, dungeon portals are

created, just like in the main game!
A league one step higher.
As the Space League emerged and humanity had to join forces, some specu‐
lated whether the importance of national competition might decrease.
However, as humanity went from joint first place to falling into the middle
rankings, those voices quietened down.
The disappeared dungeon portals began to reappear at a rapid pace. The

standard for countries where portals were created, which was in the bottom
10% during the tutorial, rose to the bottom 12-13% as soon as they settled
in the middle rankings.
=Ironically, with the entry into the main game, performance in the regional
league has become even more important than before. If the ranking in the
Space League drops, more dungeons will be created in various countries!
=That's right. Now, the league ranking has become a directly related issue
to visibility. However, there is really good news for us in the South Korea!
The Sword King has returned!
=The hero who ended his brief wandering and returned! And Seong Jihan,
who appeared like a comet...! How destructive will the combination of
these two be, making Korea rise to 4th place in the betting odds for the
Champions League of gamblers!
=4th place...! Oh, after the United States, China, and India! It's almost simi‐
lar to India. Perhaps it could rise further depending on the future results!
With a powerful player pool built on an enormous population, India is eval‐

uated as one of the top 3 countries in the world. Competing with them was
unthinkable just a year ago for Korea.
=If there was only one, Russia would have used ban cards intensively on
one player, but fortunately, that didn't happen.
77
⦘
=I heard the Ban System applied in regional leagues is a bit more limited
than in the Space League?
==Yes, it decreased by one. Top 1-10 players can be banned by two, and top
1-20 can be four cards.
=And... you can also specifically designate one player!
Whether to ban random top-ranked players or to pick one and prevent them
from participating in the game. With the entry of BattleNet into the main
game, team managers can now make strategic decisions with bans and se‐
lects.
-If only Seong Jihan were there, he would have been completely sniped by
bans.
-LOL, thank goodness we have the Sword King too.
-Russia will probab ly use a ban card on one player, right?
It's safer to pick one and make sure they can't participate in the game than
randomly ban two players from the top 10.
People expected Russia to use a ban card on one key player, so their interest
shifted to...
-Who will be banned first?
It focused on which of the two, Seong Jihan or the Sword King, Russia
would choose to ban.
-Probab ly the Sword King?
-But Seong Jihan seems stronger now that he got promoted to Diam
ond,
right?
-Still, the Sword King has experience, right? Last time, Seong Jihan was
slightly struggling against him.
78
⦘
-What are you talking about? He intentionally pretended to be struggling to

bring him to his senses. And besides, Seong Jihan has grown so much since
then...!
-Why are you all fighting? LOL We have both of them, after all.
└└ This is a really important issue.
-Can't compromise for sure.
-Why are fans fighting each other -_-The Russian coach will handle it any‐
way...
While Russia is the one doing the bans, the Korean fans are the ones fight‐
ing. And the national team players were also interested in it.
"Mr. Jihan, how do you think the ban will go?"
"I don't know."
Ha Yeonjoo, the archery team leader who approached Seong Jihan, wore a
playful smile.
"Didn't your premonition dreams tell you anything?"
"Well, whoever they might ban, we're going to win. There's no need for pre‐
dictions for things like this."
"If I were them, I'd ban my brother-in-law. I might have considered other‐
wise in the past, but brother-in-law right now seems unbeatable."
Unlike Seong Jihan, who arrived late at the BattleNet center to coordinate
with the team, Yoon Sejin, who had also been prepping with the team, ad‐
mitted so nonchalantly that he thought he was weaker than Seong Jihan.
"If you say so. I think Russia will ban my brother-in-law too."
"Instead of such modesty, tell me honestly."
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⦘
"Honestly? Honestly, I think I'm the strongest on Earth."
"Wow... Straightforward! Impressive."
"That's how a brother-in-law should be."
Seong Jihan nonchalantly claimed he was the strongest on Earth.
As Ha Yeonjoo watched this with a mix of amusement and disbelief, The

TV in the waiting room showed the Russian coach pulling out a ban card.
=Russian coach!
=Bans player Yoon Sejin!
"They banned me?"
Yoon Sejin slightly tilted his head and smiled.
"They banned me while leaving the strongest on Earth. It seems the name of
the Sword King still holds some weight, brother-in-law."
"That's right. Let's go show them our true strength."
Seong Jihan shrugged and stood up.
Whether it was Seong Jihan or the Sword King, it didn't matter who got
banned. The Korean national team could easily win with just one of them.
'But banning my brother-in-law first... How annoying.'
I'll make sure they ban me next time.
With that determination, Seong Jihan participated in the first game.
***
80
⦘
***
81
⦘
Chapter 207
***
***
=Will Russia ban player Seong Jihan or Yoon Sejin? There has been much
debate...
=Russia's choice is to ban the Sword King!
=And the map allocated is... Huh? Lone Bridge!!
While it was a pick between two options to ban the Sword King, Russia's
next choice left everyone baffled.
=Uh... wasn't this map selected by us?
=Yes, it's a simple map with a single bridge where both sides clash, with no
variables, just a direct confrontation of strength against strength!
=It's the most advantageous map for Korea, which has strong warriors... it's
puzzling why Russia would choose this!
Lone Bridge,
Known as the arena of all-out confrontation, this map was used as a defense
map to stop incoming enem
ies during the tutorial.
But in national representative matches, it showcased battle dynamics where

two teams advanced from opposite ends of a giant bridge to compete.
Considering the map's nature, where battles end on a single bridge, warriors
were crucial.
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⦘
And Russia picked this, having been trampled on by Seong Jihan when he
was gold-ranked?
-Lone Bridge? Is that what they call the arena of all-out confrontation?
-Did Russia give up on the match? LOL
-I'm predicting a clean 3:0 victory.
-At this point, did the coach mistake the select card for a ban?
-That's a possibility, for sure.
Korean fans were already in celeb ration mode as if they had won the match.
Meanwhile, the Russian coach, who made such a decision, was sweating fu‐
riously, frowning.
'Damn it, Vladimir!'
Unbeknownst to him, the situation had changed completely.
However, Vladimir was the reason why he had no choice but to make such
a decision.
-Set the map for the first match to Lone Bridge. Or I won't play.
Although he was often called a Berserker due to the Gift 'Frenzy,' Vladimir
was generally known for his friendly personality. But today, he was differ‐
ent.
[Note:- Changing "Rampage" to "Frenzy".]
His words were disrespectful, and he used a commanding tone with the
coach.
However...
'I had no choice...'
83
⦘
Vladimir's overwhelming presence forced the Russian coach to simply nod

continuously.
If he had chosen a different map for the first game, Vladimir's boycott
wouldn't have been the problem. It seemed he wouldn't let him go unpun‐
ished.
'Well, let's see how confident you are... I'll be watching you, Vladimir.'
The Russian coach glared at the game screen as he gritted his teeth.
At the starting point of Lone Bridge, 100 Russian players were preparing.
The Russian warriors typically formed a triangle formation.
[Vladimir sir. Aren't you going to join the triangle?]
[Please come to the front!]
They intended to highlight Vladimir at the front tip, the focal point.
However,
[Do you guys really need to be there?]
[Yes...?]
As Vladimir waved his hand backward once.
Boom!
The bodies of the Russian players burst in unison.
All 99 players vanished.
"What, what the hell is this maniac doing...!"
When the Russian coach was startled and jumped up from his seat,
Vladimir slowly opened his mouth, looking at the spots where the players
84
⦘
turned into blood.
[Transfusion.]
Whoosh...
The players' remains disappeared in an instant, and only blood remained, all
sucked into Vladimir.
As the blood of all 99 players concentrated on him, his figure swelled im‐
mensely, wrapped in the blood.
=No, what, what is this? Player Vladimir!
=Did Russia prepare for this in advance?
=Even with such a suicidal act...
As the game began, Vladimir, who had transformed into a giant made of
blood by exploding all his fellow players.
-?? What is he doing?
-Wow, but was Vladimir always so strong? One gesture and they all blew
up...
-Is this pre-planned by the team?
-It doesn't seem that way...
As confusion spread among the commentators and viewers who didn't un‐
derstand English, [Great Sword of the Cranium, answer my call.]
The clustered blood dispersed and a giant cross began to take shape behind
Vladimir.
The Cross of Blood, the Great Sword of the Cranium.
85
⦘
Wielding a greatsword over 3 meters tall, Vladimir, now larger than life,
[Seong Jihan... Let me properly educate you.]
looked over the bridge at Seong Jihan, flashing a sinister smile.
'...Something is off. Vladimir wasn't that caliber of warrior before.'
Seong Jihan furrowed his brows as he observed the unfolding events from
across the bridge.
Vladimir of Russia.
Vladimir of Russia, while consistently ranking high in the warrior rankings

in his past life, was hindered by the limits of the Gift Frenzy, and couldn't
grow beyond a certain level. But now, with a single gesture, he had annihi‐
lated 99 opponents. Additionally, the enormous blood red blade raised ques‐
tions.
'Something has changed.'
This won't be easy.
As Seong Jihan drew his sword and spear preparing himself, Swoosh!
Vladimir, shrouded in a blood mist, appeared in front of him in an instant.
'Fast...!'
An incredible physical feat.
That momentary move had far surpassed the supposed strongest warrior in
the world, the Sword King.
Swish!
With the gigantic cross of blood aimed directly at him, and droplets of
blood sprouting like a mirage, Seong Jihan was completely surrounded.
86
⦘
Boom! Boom!
His sword and spear moved quickly to defend against the attack, but the
droplets spread out in the air, continuing to circle around him.
An attack by the enemy that could not be defended by physical strength

alone.
'If that's the case, I'll counterattack.'
Seong Jihan aimed the tip of the Phoenix Spear at Vladimir.
Nameless divine art, Fusion of Divine thunder and phoenix -- Crimson

Thunder cannon Zap!
Immense Crimson lightning burst forth.
The crimson electric current fully penetrated the Great Sword of the Cra‐
nium and Vladimir.
The droplets evaporated, scattering away,
and Vladimir's body was instantly engulfed in flames, but...
"Haha... I gotta give you some credit."
Bubbling...
Bubbles rose in the surrounding atmosphere as blood droplets emerged, at‐

taching themselves once again to Vladimir's body.
Even after being struck by the Crimson Thunder that had been enhanced in
the Void training ground, Vladimir kept producing droplets in mid-air, re‐
constructing his body.
An opponent with leisure.
'He is underestimating me.'
87
⦘
Seong Jihan's eyes sank with chilliness.
Whatever had made him this strong, it was unpleasant to be looked down
upon by the opponent.
'I'll use my full power.'
Smoothly...
A purple energy emanated around Seong Jihan, and was then absorbed into
his body.
The power of Void which had absorbed the power of death as one of its
branches.
The effect that enhanced abilities activated on Seong Jihan.
"Oh... this power. Could it be?"
Vladimir's eyes widened with interest at the sight.
His response was as if he knew something about it.
Seong Jihan felt an ominous vibe.
Very few knew about the void, yet he seemed to recognize it?
"You've meddled with something dangerous. Is this the last desperate strug‐
gle to defy your master?"
"You... aren't Vladimir, are you?"
"Haha... Try your best to endure. Let me enjoy this some more."
Vladimir, undaunted even by the enhanced Seong Jihan.
"Come forth, Cranium."
Summoning again the huge sword of blood, he charged at Seong Jihan.
88
⦘
Boom! Boom!
Every collision exuded droplets that burst from the sword.
They morphed into spikes, assailing Seong Jihan from all angles.
With the main attack from the enemy and the by-products created by the
bursting sword to consider, 'It's troublesome.'
Nameless Divine Arts, Dark Shadow Technique -- Dark Soul Vortex The
form of Eclipse, the Shadow Sword, crumbled, transforming into a vortex.
It swallowed the blood spikes approaching from all directions.
"Good, good."
Vladimir smiled, apparently enjoying the sight.
Currrr...
Crimson lightning storms span from the spearhead multiple times, while the
Shadow Sword perfectly shielded Seong Jihan.
Externally, it appeared that Seong Jihan had the upper hand in both offense
and defense.
However,
=The opponent... resurrects again!
=The Crimson lightning surely burned his body to a crisp! Vladimir keeps
regenerating in mid-air!
=I never expected to see such tenacity vitality from our race, surpassing the
elves!
Vladimir did not die, no matter how many times he burned.
Not only his body but also the floating blood droplets, despite being com‐
pletely incinerated by Seong Jihan.
89
⦘
Where was it being produced? Blood kept flowing in mid-air, continually

reconstructing Vladimir.
'Where did such a guy come from?'
Vladimir, who kept reviving despite being slammed by the Crimson Thun‐
der.
Seeing this approach wasn't going to work, Seong Jihan contemplated his
next move.
"...Not a scratch after so many attacks."
The resurrecting Vladimir wore a different expression from the start; his
composure was gone.
In addition to his main attack with the blood sword.
Countless assaults at Seong Jihan through airborne droplets had been exe‐
cuted, yet he remained completely unscathed.
'Is he worthy of the choice of Martial God after all?'
The one who had seized Vladimir's body, Longinus, silently admired him.
The vital energy gained by exploding 99 national representatives, though

insufficient for his full power, was thought enough to annihilate Seong Ji‐
han.
It seemed he had underestimated the ability of Martial God, after all.
"I need to draw out more power."
Swoosh...
Vladimir, regenerating for the 17th time, knelt to place his palm on the
bridge.
"Blood Cross."
90
⦘
Then,
The bridge was instantly tainted blood red, and a cross of blood began to
emerge.
A menacing aura sprouted among the trembling droplets, affecting not just
Seong Jihan but also the national representatives behind him.
"Ugh... my body is bleeding..."
"Get as far from the bridge as you can!"
"Even outside the range... it's affecting... Heal me, please!"
The players were sweating blood, not normal sweat, even outside the range
of Blood Cross.
They were rapidly weakening.
=Uh...
=What on earth are we witnessing? Player Vladimir...!
=Tearing the game apart all by himself...!
=Sweating blood, not sweat... Haven't we seen Seong Jihan do something

similar before?!
=Yes, previously, against Russia! Though at that time, the cross was made
of steel...
Vladimir was using a skill eerily similar to Seong Jihan's.
While speculation swirled,
Seong Jihan, looking at the Blood Cross, was certain.
'I'm sure now. He's related to the Marital God.'
91
⦘
An opponent using a power almost like the Blood Cross.
Although it didn't absorb metal as the original did, Blood-absorbing power

was significantly stronger.
'And that power... what could it be?'
With an endless regenerative capacity surpassing even an elf, and freely

manipulating vital energy.
Among the opponents he encountered, Longinus was a particularly tough

adversary.
But now, having set apart his Blood Cross with determination, it was the
most formidable power he had seen yet.
'But is also the easiest to confront.'
Seong Jihan crossed his sword and spear.
Nameless Divine Arts, Annihilation God's Secret -- Blood Cross.
The Blood Cross spread out against the massive pool of blood, But com‐
pared to the Longnius's Blood Cross, it seemed almost feeble.
Especially the metal across horizontal, which was almost non-existent.
And the vital energy down vertical was completely overwhelmed.
The Blood Cross looked like it would vanish any second.
But
Swoosh...
What seemed to be engulfed by the Blood Cross gradually became clearer

with time.
Especially the vertical vital energy takes on a deeper hue.
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⦘
'As expected.'
Seong Jihan affirmed as he saw it.
"This is an inferior version of the Blood Cross."
"...You."
Vladimir's face hardened at Seong Jihan's conclusion.
"I only meant to teach you a lesson... but that won't do."
"Lesson? You are the one who needs to learn from me."
"You insolent...!"
Was it those words that hit a nerve?
His face distorted with rage, as if it was breaking.
"I will give it my all. I will rip you apart...!"
Vladimir, now even more determined to draw upon his power.
Blood energy converged from the Blood Cross on the floor back to him,
swelling his body.
But
Boom!
"Wha...?"
Vladimir, inflated like a balloon, couldn't withstand it and exploded mid-air.
And
[Avatar 'Vladimir' fails to absorb the power of the Blood Cross and ex‐
plodes.]
93
⦘
[The first match comes to an end.]
In front of Longinus, a system message appeared, indicating the end of the

game.
94
⦘
Chapter 208
***
***
Russian players' waiting room.
"Mr. Vladimir. you should have warned us in advance. Isn't this too much?"
"To suddenly kill us...!"
The players, who were logged out in advance, tried to protest to Vladimir as
he came out of the BattleNet Connector, but...
"Shut up."
"...!"
When he emitted a powerful aura, they couldn't even make a sound. Al‐
though these players were powerful Diam
ond players, Vladimir, or more
precisely, the Longinus within him, was genuinely furious.
"Seong Jihan...!"
Veins surged in Longinus's eyes.
'The Power of Blood Cross...'
The power of "God Slaughter" that the Wandering Martial God had stolen
from Longinus.
It manifested as the Iron Blood Cross and a spear that pierced through it.
Up till now, Longinus thought that out of the two, only the "God Slaughter
Spear" had been snatched away by the Martial God.
95
⦘
However,
'To be pushed back starting from the Blood Cross as well... does this mean
my powers are inferior?!'
The situation just now.
Clearly, he still had room to absorb more power.
But the reason his body burst was because he couldn't absorb the power of
"Blood Cross".
To think his Blood Cross was deemed an inferior version from the start by
the Martial God...
'...I can't tolerate being embarrassed by someone other than the master.'
Had it been the Martial God himself, Longinus would have understood.
He was an absolute existence, after all.
However, no matter how much he had assimilated with the divine powers.
His pride would not allow him, Longinus, to be pushed back by a human
who had just become a Diam
ond to this degree.
"Vladimir. I'm going to modify your body a bit."
[Uh, er, wait a minute... what do you mean by modify...!?]
"It'll be good for you."
[But, hang on! How are you gonna modify me...?!]
The original owner of the body pleaded for Longinus to at least tell him
what he planned to do, but Longinus, with eyes rolled back, did not answer
his question.
Swoosh!
96
⦘
And scratched Vladimir's face with his fingernails.
[Wha, what are you doing...!]
"A mere scratch on the face shouldn't matter, right?"
Whoosh...
From the forehead to the chin.
A long wound gashed vertically across Vladimir's face.
Seeing this, the Russian players around them shuddered.
From their view,
He was muttering to himself before suddenly scratching his own face -- a

madman.
'I don't think that's just a wound...'
'Mr. Vladimir... shouldn't you be going to a psychiatric hospital?'
And then.
Whoosh...
When red smoke rose from the wound.
Vladimir smiled with a grim expression.
"Now, you will become stronger."
= Although we won the first game...
= Vladimir showed a distinctly different side from before. I almost thought

he would lose!
97
⦘
The first game, played on a bridge with a single path, showed a surprising
performance from Vladimir, and discussions continued even after the game
ended.
-Why is Vladimir so strong? His movements were no joke.
-I thought it was over when he inflated his body at the end.
-I saw the Russian community, and they were also puzzled.
Expecting an easy win but opening it up to find completely unexpected

variables -- was that why?
Despite winning the first game, the Korean fans were even more uneasy
than before the game started.
And Seong Jihan also did not let down his guard.
'Although we won the first game, I can't guarantee the next.'
In the previous life, Vladimir didn't display such a demeanor. Perhaps this
time, it's because Seong Jihan gained Martial Soul. It seemed to be associ‐
ated with the Martial god.
Whether any Constellation intervened or another variable was at play was

uncertain. However, it was evident that his abilities were beyond the norm.
'The Iron Blood Cross seemed to be a critical weakness for him... If we face
off again in the next game, I'll have to make use of it.'
Seong Jihan set the Iron Blood Cross as a key point while he contemplated
countermeasures.
= Game 2. Russia uses a ban card on Sung Jihan!
= Did the loss in the first game hit hard? Russia chooses to face the Sword
King!
Russia chose to face the Sword King in the second game.
98
⦘
'I thought they were going to target me again... Unexpected.'
Since the opponent was related to the Martial God.
Seong Jihan assumed they would doggedly focus their attacks on him, but
'Well, bans and selects are decisions made by the Russian coach.'
Sung Jihan decided to observe the situation for now.
"It's my turn this time. I'll be back, brother-in-law."
Yoon Sejin, who slowly got up from his seat.
Unable to watch the match directly due to his lost vision, listening only
through the commentary -- he posed a question to Seong Jihan.
"They say Vladimir has become strong. How much?"
"Very strong. He has a powerful regenerative ability surpassing elves, and

even if his form is destroyed, he attacks by moving blood droplets."
"Hmm... that does seem tricky to deal with."
"Yes. And he tried desperately to tear into me; getting hit once could wear
me down."
"I'll be careful."
The two discussed Vladimir as Sejin's next opponent.
"Do you really need to be careful though?"
"Pardon?"
However, the national team coach Noh Youngjoon poured cold water on
their heated discussion.
"We can just ban him too, you know. Vladimir."
99
⦘
"Oh."
"You're right."
The ban card is not something only the opponent can use.
During the first game, since they didn't know Vladimir would turn out that
powerful, they used random cards banning several players.
But now that Russia's key player is exposed, they can focus the ban solely
on Vladimir.
"Just hold back even if you want to clash with him again. We need to win
the first series."
"When there's a shortcut, no need to take the long way."
"I'll follow the coach's decision."
And so in the second game with Vladimir and Seong Jihan banned.
=Ahh. The Sword King summons the White Sword. All 100 swords rush to‐
wards the enem
ies!
=Seeing Yoon Sejin massacre the opponents with Sword skills just like in
the past national team matches, I feel emotional.
=Swords rain down from the sky like a downpour. The enem
ies can't even
properly block a single sword!
The Sword King completely crushed them.
-Its not just you who can use ban cards? We can do it too, haha.
-Having two key cards makes things comfortable.
-I heard that a player can only be banned twice in a row. Is that really true?
100
⦘
-You can do it 3 or 4 times too. However, from the 3rd time onwards, it
goes into probab ility.
-Yup, From the 3rd time onwards, there is a 50% chance.
If they banned Seong Jihan 3 times in the 3 game series.
For the final match, banning him has a 50% probab ility of success or failure
due to the ban card option.
-Then, just keep Vladimir banned till the next game.
-Since he definitely can't appear twice, ending it by the 3rd game should
work.
-That's right. If we drag it out to 4 games, it won't work because it will be‐
come a battle of odds.
-It was important to win the first game haha.
The fact that Vladimir didn't get banned in the first game worked well this
time. If they stop banning after the second or third game. It seemed like Ko‐
rea could easily win 3-0.
"It was an easy game."
Sword King Yoon Sejin returned after easily winning MVP in the second
game.
"I wanted to face Vladimir once, but I don't think I'll have the chance."
"Anyway, it's a league match, so we'll meet again."
"Well, that's true. "That's right. I've played against Russia many times be‐
fore. I guess I'll have to try it next time."
They were already considering the game as over if Vladimir gets banned in
the next game, in fact, there aren't many variables left in the game.
101
⦘
However,
=South Korea bans Vladimir! Russia, once again, bans Seong Jihan!
=Haha then it will be a replay of the second game, right? The map is impor‐
tant, but...
==That's right. From the third game, you can choose a map where only spe‐
cific classes can participate. Coach Youngjoon Noh's map pick is Valhalla!
The warrior map!
=A map that maximizes our strengths!
=And Russia's selection is... ugh, 'Golem Duel'!
There were still variables in the game.
"Golem Duel huh..."
"Isn't that a supporter map?"
"Yes. It's a common map for supporter promotions."
A special map where only specific classes can participate. While Korea
trusted powerful warriors and chose Valhalla, Russia, confident in the
strength of their supporters, chose Golem Duel.
"This... the outcome will be determined by the map, right?"
"Russia believes their supporters are stronger than ours?"
"That seems likely."
Warriors and archer classes are strong for Korea. Mages and supporters are
generally considered strong for Russia.
Of course there was the variable of the all-rounder Seong Jihan who could
turn such evaluations on their head, but 'My all-round class is useless on
this map too.'
102
⦘
The supporter-exclusive map 'Golem Duel' was a unique case. Instead of

combat abilities, supporters with developed abilities to care for teammates.
When they faced promotion matches, they either played the game as a team
or held separ ate matches for supporters only.
'Golem Duel' was one of those maps.
On this map, except for supporters, other classes were completely useless.
The supporters buffed their assigned golems, who fought in their place.
They had to use healing spells timely and apply suitable buffs depending on
the situation To lead their proxy golem to victory in the 'Golem Duel'.
On this map, players other than supporters were completely useless.
And the supporters could not intervene in battle apart from buffs and heals.
'This map could completely lock me down.'
Among supporter-exclusive maps, Golem Duel was the most restrictive for
Seong Jihan. If they were fighting on the same battlefield as the golems,
Seong Jihan could take the lead and defeat them.
However, this map conceptually separ ated the space, with supporters giving
buffs from outside. It was a map that was essentially his arch-nemesis.
'After this game other countries will probab ly bring out Golem Duel maps
to use against us.'
Seong Jihan figured this game would set a precedent for other nations to
take out their Golem Duel cards after seeing how useful it was to counter
them.
He watched closely, wondering what map would come out.
=Oh...! 'Golem Duel' map is selected!
=In the third game, it seems luck is favoring the Russian coach more!
103
⦘
=In this case... everything depends on the capabilities of the supporters.
=Generally, Russia's supporters are considered slightly superior to South

Korea's supporters, but...
=Still, the difference is not significant! South Korean supporters! You can
narrow this gap as much as you want!
The commentators expressed disappointment over the selection of the

Golem Duel map but emphasized that if the supporters did their best, they
could win. However, the audience had different opinions.
-Look at them hyping it up, haha. The difference between Russian and
South Korean supporters is at least two levels, haha.
-Since Golem Duel makes the buff effects crucial, no way we are winning,
right?
-It's going to be the fourth game, haha.
-Oh, Seong Jihan, what are you doing? Quickly charm Sophia and make her
your concubine!
-Seong Jihan already taken tho;;
-Do it for the nation! Date one more!
-Nation-sponsored two-timing lmao😂
Audience already concluded, it would go to the fourth game.
And the match progressed exactly as anticipated.
=Oh... The golem. It's exploding...
=Russia's supporters are strong.
=It looks like it will go to the fourth game!
104
⦘
=Then Vladimir's ban will be lifted...!
2:1.
Korea's lead remained, but the previously perfectly blocked variable,

Vladimir, was now free in the next game. The national team felt a slight
tension.
"This is... It's not ending easily."
"That's how it turned out."
"If the same map selection comes in again, it might be better to ban the en‐
emy supporter instead of Vladimir, who can't be banned."
"Since the ban comes first, we can't know what map will be chosen."
"Naturally, Russia won't choose a supporter map, right?"
2:0.
In a critical moment, Russia secured victory by choosing the map wisely.

They would probab ly try the same formula for victory in the fourth game.
"If they pick a mage map or something, Seong Jihan will crush them all."
"Unless it's Golem Duel, I can handle supporter maps too. Just let me step
onto the battlefield and it'll be over."
"Haha. Indeed."
Everyone assumed Russia would desperately pray for the Golem Duel map
to come out again.
Amidst such expectations...
The bans revealed for the fourth game were Vladimir and Yoon Sejin.
Next, the select card revealed by Russia was unexpected: [Valhalla]
105
⦘
"Valhalla?!"
"Are they out of their minds?!"
"Don't tell me they still trust in Vladimir..."
Abandoning the winning card shown in the third game, Russia chose the
map that Korea wanted, Valhalla.
=Russia...
=I don't understand this choice...
=Are they trying to give Vladimir one more chance?
Commentators expressed their doubts, and the screen focused on the Rus‐
sian coach.
The coach's face, sinking into a reddish hue, was visible.
Seong Jihan vaguely sensed that it might not be his own will.
Vladimir.
No, the person related to the Martial God inside him probab ly led this deci‐
sion.
Unsure what he was thinking, trying his luck even with a 50% chance of
getting banned.
'But victory for Russia probab ly isn't important for that guy related to the
Martial God.'
He likely only wants revenge against Seong Jihan from the first game.
Seong Jihan chuckled as he stood up from his seat.
106
⦘
"Let's finish up this series."
***
***
107
⦘
Chapter 209
***
***
The map was Valhalla, exclusively for warriors.
The walls were made of golden shields and the majestic pillars holding up
this palace of warriors were giant spears.
It was a map where 50 warriors were selected from each team to battle it
out in Valhalla's enormous hall.
=Ah, the viewership has surpassed the highest record!
=Higher numbers than the 2018 Champions League Quarterfinals match!
=As the first international representative match since BattleNet's main game
launch, it seems many overseas are also watching the game intently!
=Player Vladimir's transformation must have contributed as well!
=Yes, he demonstrated a really shocking spectacle! He was banned for

matches 2 and 3 but... he's appearing in the 4th game!
=Ah. The 50 percentage probab ility didn't work out! Coach Noh Youngjun's
ban was ineffective!
Flash! Flash!
The Russian warriors summoned from the west.
And at the very front was Vladimir with a face full of scars.
-?? Why is his face like that?
108
⦘
-It wasn't like that in the 1st game!
-He's completely become a monster;;
Just a few hours ago his face was still unmarred, but now Vladimir's face
was completely covered in scars.
He glared at Seong Jihan summoned in the east.
Thud!
He stamped his foot on the floor.
"Transfusion."
Then,
Boom! Boom!
The warriors behind him began exploding in unison.
Just like in the 1st game, Vladimir detonated his allies.
Their flesh and bones vanished instantly.
And only blood droplets remained hovering in the air, surging towards him.
Especially the blood that gathered on his face.
Gulp! Gulp...
It stuck to his scars, dyeing his entire face red.
'His aura is even stronger than before.'
Although the number of players he exploded was only half that of the 1st
match.
The aura he emitted was more powerful than last time.
109
⦘
Seong Jihan glanced back at his warriors.
Korea's warriors without the Sword King amongst them.
Among the Northeast Asian League participating countries they were the
weakest.
'If I ignore them, they'll probab ly end up like that too.'
Allies who would be of no help against Vladimir, only becoming an energy

source for the enemy instead.
It was best to quickly get rid of them.
Nameless Divine Arts, Annihilation God's Secret -- Myriad Ghost Sealing

Gods Seong Jihan took out a sword from his inventory and stabbed it into
the ground.
Then mystical patterns instantly spawned on the floor.
It was the Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods which had now become a disposal
tool for the useless allies.
"Uh... hang on...."
"We're getting sucked in...!"
Whoosh...!
And just like that, the 49 Korean warriors disappeared in an instant.
=Ah!
=What's going on here!?
=Right after start, the 100 warriors have all vanished except for 2!
=Player Seong Jihan probab ly made the decisive action knowing his allies
would fall victim to Vladimir's "Transfusion"!
110
⦘
=Certainly, there is no need to provide more battle power to the enemy!
Vladimir, who had blood streaming into his face, looked at him as if to say
"how preposterous" and raised his hand.
And
Bwash!
Blood exploded in mid-air.
=Uh...!
=The screen is being obscured by blood!
=Wha, what is he doing!?
=Blocking the broadcast screen, how is this even possible...!?
The relay screen was dyed red with blood.
After blocking external eyes like so, he slowly opened his mouth.
"To utilize the divine art of Myriad Ghosts Seal in such a way... The Martial
God would sigh if he saw this."
"Myriad Ghosts Seal is a divine art?"
Seong Jihan looked at the patterns of Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods.
This is a divine art?
"Divine art huh... what exactly do you mean by that?"
"Not even knowing what it is yet daring to steal it... Did the Martial God
impart his skills separ ately to you?"
How can you exhibit it without even knowing what an art is?
111
⦘
Longinus, having taken over Vladimir's body, interrogated Seong Jihan in

disbelief.
But,
"Well, I just happened to know it."
Seong Jihan simply answered as such.
He couldn't tell his past life story to the opponent after all.
"Ha, you just came to know it? How arrogant. An impudent fellow soon to
be trampled by the Martial God."
"Hey, that Blood Cross is your art right? That's the easiest though, right?"
"You little...!"
Taking it then giving it back verbally to Vladimir.
He couldn't hold back his rage at Seong Jihan's words belittling the Blood
Cross.
"To disparage the art of God Slaughter like that...! Utterly unacceptable!"
Whoosh...!
The blood aura obscuring the screen gathered in one area And Vladimir's
Blood Cross began to reveal its form again excluding an even more intense
aura compared to the 1st game.
As the blood aura blazed around him, he let out a sinister blood fog.
Vladimir now looked more like a monster than a human.
But more than his enhanced form,
'God Slaughter? The Blood Cross is God Slaughter skill? Huh.......'
112
⦘
From Vladimir's words, Seong Jihan obtained a hint regarding the Iron
Blood Cross.
Drawing the cross of iron and blood,
And a spear piercing through atop that person to instantly kill them -- the
Iron Blood Cross skill.
Although Seong Jihan had modified it for use as a powerful defense tool.
'As expected, the culminating spear attack was the main point.'
Watching this crazed fellow related to the Martial God, he could grasp the
essence of the Iron Blood Cross that he had only vaguely predicted until
now.
"I won't let you die easily!"
Swish!
The enraged Vladimir charged forward.
Boom! Boom!
Dozens of exchanges occurred instantly.
Unlike the 1st game, the Blood Cross Sword did not burst.
=Uh...
=Player Vladimir. He is too strong!
=Player Seong Jihan is struggling with defense!
=The battle situation is distinctly different from the 1st game...!
The reappeared battle scene, To the 3rd party commentators, it looked like
Seong Jihan was being completely overwhelmed.
113
⦘
The tough-as-nails Blood Cross Sword.
And the pointed blood aura assailing him from all sides.
Plus Vladimir's physical abilities which had become at least twice as fast
compared to the 1st game.
-Wow... isn't that way too OP?
-How did he get so much stronger than the 1st game?
-No way, if he was already that strong he should've shown this power dur‐
ing the Space League. Why only go all out now?
-For real lol. That level could even beat a high elf~
It seemed amazing how Seong Jihan was holding out.
Vladimir had completely seized the upper hand.
However,
'This guy...!'
Longinus inside Vladimir was unsatisfied with the current situation.
By now, their physical abilities surely showed a difference.
Even with Seong Jihan simultaneously utilizing the power of Void, His stats
still couldn't catch up to Longinus who had modified the avatar to suit him‐
self.
But
'Could it be... the choice to become the Martial God wasn't mistaken?'
Despite being completely overwhelmed in power, Seong Jihan didn't allow

a single attack.
114
⦘
He desperately tried to tear into his skin to absorb all of his blood essence,
but Seong Jihan's smooth evasion and defensive skills were admirable even
from his enemy perspective.
"But now... it's over!"
The two warriors who had now reached the corner of Valhalla, As the Blood
Cross Sword swelled, having gathered ample blood aura.
It completely sealed off Seong Jihan's escape routes, trying to skewer him.
But then,
Nameless Divine Arts, Annihilation God's Secret -- Iron Blood Cross A pure
white cross with a hole in its center floated before Seong Jihan.
And as it was imbued with the aura of life.
A green protective shield wrapped around his body.
The defensively modified Iron Blood Cross in Seong Jihan's style.
"Thi, this, this...!"
Longinus, still wielding his sword, froze at the sight of the modified Iron
Blood Cross.
Although he knew about the existence of this altered Iron Blood Cross, It
was his first time seeing it directly with his own eyes.
He would have thought anger at a non-Martial God daring to tamper with it

would surge, but "......."
Instead it felt like cold water was poured over his head.
His rage subsided and rationality returned.
How could he even think of changing that perfect Iron Blood Cross...?
115
⦘
"Why did you modify the manifestation of a completed art to suit yourself?"
At Longinus's question.
"The Iron Blood Cross was complete? That thing?"
Seong Jihan scoffed in disbelief.
"Drawing a cross then stabbing the middle with a spear is complete? Just
stab if you wanna stab. Use it to defend if you wanna defend with the cross.
It's so troublesome."
"Trouble......some?"
"Yeah."
At those words, Longinus's eyes shook violently.
The Martial God's skills are... troublesome?
As someone who lived as the Martial God's follower, it was a notion he

couldn't even imagine.
"But you don't have a spear attack other than drawing the cross?"
"......What?"
"Take note and try changing it later. Here."
Thud! Thud!
Seong Jihan knocked on his own Iron Blood Cross as he said that.
Longinus let out a hollow laugh.
"......Separ ating God Slaughter?"
"Yeah why not?"
116
⦘
Modifying the Martial God's skills to suit himself...!?
'Is it because he is ignorant?'
However,
Just having such an idea itself was far too great a shock for Longinus.
"Ha......."
Whoosh...
The blood aura gathered in Vladimir dispersed.
And his face which had been obscured, unable to be shown looked blank, as
if his soul had left him.
"I..."
Twitch!
The Blood Cross Sword in his hand moved, trying to change.
First it became a blade with only one side.
Then it shifted into a hammer, then into a club next.
As the blood freely congregated and dispersed, the Blood Cross created var‐
ious weapon shapes.
But
Just one.
'Spear' could not be materialized.
"......I, Longinus, cannot do it."
117
⦘
Staring at the blood aura which refused to transform into a spear shape de‐
spite repeatedly trying.
Longinus muttered in a stunned voice.
'Longinus?'
Longinus, famous for piercing Jesus with a spear.
Although Seong Jihan didn't believe in any religions, he had heard that
name before.
The Holy Lance Longinus was quite a famous weapon in myths.
'But he can't use a spear?'
Does he have some connection with the Martial God?
But then why was Longinus known to have stabbed with a spear in later
generations?
Just as Seong Jihan was feeling puzzled after hearing that name.
"Ah, no......."
Longinus, who had been standing there absent-mindedly with a blank ex‐
pression, suddenly opened his eyes wide.
[Longinus.]
He could hear the voice of the Wandering Martial God by his ear.
[Use the spear.]
"Master... you permit it?"
[I do.]
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With the Martial God's approval.
Whoosh...
The spear form which had refused to actualize no matter how many times
he tried to transform it.
Was instantly embodied in Longinus's hand.
"Ah..."
Longinus clicked his tongue in frustration as he looked at the materialized

blood spear.
To think something so simple couldn't be done without permission.
"You did it huh."
"The Master... allowed it."
"You need permission for every single weapon you wanna create?"
"Yes. That is the destiny of a follower."
Affirming Seong Jihan's words, Longinus stared blankly at the blood spear
he created.
'It's rare for Master to permit spears until now.'
The powerful God Slaughter Spear.
It was only temporarily allowed against mighty Constellations or when

great battles were imminent.
The Martial God had been quite sparing when it came to granting spears.
But to think he permitted it against Seong Jihan, in a BattleNet game match

like this...!
119
⦘
'Could the Master also desire the skill modifications Seong Jihan men‐
tioned...?'
If so, he had to obey as a loyal follower.
Whoosh...
Longinus raised the spear.
"Seong Jihan. You said to take note of the stabbing?"
"Uh-huh."
"Then let me show you......."
The spearhead pointed at the white cross.
"God Slaughter's Spear."
Longinus's blood aura focused into a single point.
***
***
120
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Chapter 210
***
***
Longinus's God Slaughter.
To the eye, it was an all too simple stabbing.
The vigor that had gathered at the tip of the spear was now being absorbed
into the spear itself.
The blood spear, glistening with a bloody sheen, was slowly extending to‐
wards the Iron Blood Cross.
Its movement, considering the enhanced physical abilities of Longinus just

moments ago, was laughably slow, to the point where one might wonder if
it was some kind of a joke.
'Is this really the God Slaughter?' one might doubt, but just when such
thoughts arose.
"Kuk...!"
The physical form of Avatar Vladimir, extending the spear, was melting
rapidly from the tips of his feet.
"... Is this your limit...?"
With that being his last word.
Longinus, turning instantaneously into blood, was absorbed by the blood

spear.
[All players of the opposing team have fallen in battle.]
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[The game will end soon...]
Subsequently, a message popped up indicating the opposing team had all

perished, ending the game.
'What? Over already?'
No way, is this a joke?
Seong Jihan was left dumbfounded.
He had anticipated witnessing Longinus's version of the God Slaughter,

Only for it to be thwarted right in front of his eyes.
'Nevertheless, the spear is still coming.'
Even with the disappearance of Longinus's main body.
The blood spear was leisurely flying in his direction.
At a glance, it seemed far from what you'd call a spear capable of killing a
god.
'I'll have to confront it, nonetheless.'
Before the game concluded, Seong Jihan decided to step forward himself.
However,
'My body...'
When he tried to take a step, his body had hardened, completely out of con‐
trol.
And it wasn't just Seong Jihan who had stopped, '...Even the system has
halted.'
'The game will end soon. You will be logged out,' should have appeared,
but, The system messages... no further progress was made.
122
⦘
In a world that had come to a halt,
Only Longinus's spear leisurely floated in the air.
'Time stop... Does this have to do with his God Slaughter?'
Seong Jihan pondered, trying desperately to find a way out of the current
situation by contemplating inwardly.
There were many kinds of powers, including those with martial soul and
void, 'It barely moves at all...'
It was as if he had lost control.
Seong Jihan's body was not responding.
At best, the only thing trying to move was the energy of Martial Soul and
void.
Even though he tried his best to regulate just that, The slowly approaching
blood spear was already drawing near.
And then,
Thud!
As the tip of the spear dug into the cross,
Ffft, ffft, fsshh...
A bloody mist rose from the point of impact.
And above it, faint purple letters appeared.
Not Korean, not English, they were entirely new characters.
'...Why...can I read it?'
For some reason, Seong Jihan could read them without difficulty.
123
⦘
[Target conditions, partially met.]
[Extinction code activated.]
And as those letters disappeared into thin air.
Whoosh!
A huge hole was blasted through the center of the Iron Blood Cross, As the
blood spear burrowed into the gap.
Thud!
And like that, the tip of the spear pierced Seong Jihan's body.
Shwooosh...
The power flowing from the blood spear instantly erased his physique.
As this unfolded, one energy in particular seemed to resist dissolution, the

energy of Martial Soul.
Pierced by the spear, Seong Jihan instinctively felt, 'This power... com‐
pletely opposes Martial Soul. On the other hand, the void... it's trying to use
it for itself.'
The God Slaughter spear, erasing the energy of the martial soul but moving
the void to its own will.
Initially, Seong Jihan had retained control over the void but, 'No, I need to
see how this works out.'
To see how the blood spear intended to utilize the void, he decided to fol‐
low its movement.
As the void merged, the blood spear inside him showed a peculiar flow.
'Huh...'
124
⦘
Even as his upper body was blasted more than half open, Seong Jihan was
preoccupied with analysing the movements of the blood spear.
The blood spear was nibbling away at Martial Soul in a completely new
way, Yet its movement held a consistent pattern.
'Is this related to the extinction code...?'
The term 'Extinction Code', which he could inexplicably read.
Intuitively, Seong Jihan realized that this peculiar flow suppressing Martial
Soul in combination with the void was linked to the Extinction Code.
'Good.'
Even as his body was being erased,
Seong Jihan was engrossed in analyzing the spear of God Slaughter.
[You will be logged out.]
When the time stop of the blood spear ended, He could feel the flow of time
returning.
'What a shame.'
If only he had more time to analyse.
Even with his torso gone, leaving only his head and limbs, Seong Jihan
lamented that he did not completely understand the 'Extinction Code'.
'However... I did uncover something.'
Even with a gaping hole in the middle of his body, Seong Jihan's eyes were
clearer than ever before.
The spear of God Slaughter.
It was worth experiencing
125
⦘
Meanwhile, on South Korea's Channel 0.
=Ah, both players. What are they talking about... Unfortunately, we can't
hear them from the broadcast.
=Ah, player Vladimir has created a spear with his hand! The blood is gath‐
ering at one point... looks like he's preparing for a major move!
=Player Seong Jihan! Are you just going to stand by and watch?
As the conversation between Seong Jihan and Longinus was muted, Their
clash was being broadcasted.
-Today's broadcast has been full of incidents; -Vladimir is just standing

there, gathering blood on the spear, it clearly looks like he's about to use a
killer move, why is Seong Jihan waiting??
-It's a tradition to wait in situations like this lol -No, he was completely
pushed back just now. Now is the chance to counterattack. What will he do
if he misses out on a win?
People who couldn't hear the conversation couldn't understand why Seong
Jihan was standing by.
However, such concerns vanished as soon as Vladimir's body was absorbed

by the blood spear.
-Huh??
-What's going on. Vladimir... Why is he being absorbed by his spear?
-lol!! Failed ultimate skill?
-Look at that. Do you think Jihan had a premonition? He was waiting be‐
cause he knew it.
126
⦘
-For real lol!! Why are there so many doubters? Seong Jihan has it all fig‐
ured out, let's just follow him lol!! I think Seong Jihan was just standing to
experience Vladimir's death.
To those unaware of the circumstances, it looked as if his premonition had

been activated again.
=The game will now end.
=Korea... wins 3:1 against Russia!
=The final confrontation ended somewhat anticlimactically...
=But, what does it matter! Victory is what's important!
As the broadcast concluded,
The scene where Seong Jihan was pierced by the blood spear amidst the
halted world was not captured.
Could that be why?
"Wow, did you wait until the end knowing Mr. Jihan? Did you expect
Vladimir to get absorbed into his weapon?"
"Your premonition is really amazing... Have you dreamed of anything good

again?"
The players approached Seong Jihan, speaking only of the premonition.
No one mentioned the scene that unfolded after the game ended.
"Premonitions aren't something you can just have as you wish. You have to
see more for what's to come."
Seong Jihan responded lightly to the players, "Coach. I'll be heading home
right away."
He informed Coach Noh Youngjun that he was leaving.
127
⦘
"Right now? Even though there's still the MVP interview..."
"Please handle that in my stead. After dealing against Vladimir, it made me

think of something I need to train on."
"About... training?"
"Yes."
Noh Youngjun looked at Seong Jihan with a face full of dismay.
'What kind of training demon is he?'
It was already the talk of the town that he's always cooped up at home for
training.
But should there not be a moment to at least make a victory speech?
"Is it because you don't like the interview announcer, maybe?"
"No? I don't even know who it is. I'll be going now. See you later!"
"Why? Let's go together."
"I'm faster on foot."
Whoosh!
With that, Seong Jihan vanished, using his Flashing Sky Thunder Steps
technique.
Noh Youngjun watched him disappear, dumbfounded.
"...Sejin. Can you do the interview instead?"
"I guess if it's for my brother-in-law."
Yoon Sejin nodded.
128
⦘
For anyone else, he might have hesitated, but if it was for his brother-in-
law's sake, He would willingly stand in.
"Thank you. But, what training is so urgent?"
From the coach's perspective, it was a relief to have a player who strives to
become stronger so autonomously.
But one also had to take breaks.
Noh Youngjun coach shook his head, preparing for the interview with Yoon
Sejin.
On the star of martial gods, Tusung.
"...He endured it."
In the broadcast, Longinus, who had witnessed the last scene that was not
captured, let out a disappointed smile.
Although Seong Jihan's body had completely vanished except for his neck
and limbs, Which would have been almost certain death if it had been in re‐
ality, [His whole body didn't disappear in an instant.]
"....That's right. Master. He resisted the power of the God Slaughter."
Typically, if one were directly struck by the God Slaughter spear, their en‐
tire body would vanish immediately.
Yet Seong Jihan persevered until the time stop was lifted and time flowed
anew.
Maintaining his physical form for an extended period.
[Not bad at all.]
129
⦘
Rarely does sentiment come across in the voice of the Martial God, but a
sense of satisfaction was detected.
[However, merely enduring is insufficient. He will need to show evolved

strength.]
"..."
[Longinus, next time, I will permit you to use the spear against him. Bring
out his limits.]
"Thank you, Master."
The Wandering Martial God who typically did not allow the use of spears,
Was permitting it freely against Seong Jihan.
Longinus bowed to the Martial God and then withdrew.
"Are you... alright?"
Beside him, walking with a vacant expression, Dongbang Sak made his way
over. He approached Longinus, stroking his beard.
"Dongbang Sak, did you see it?"
"Yes. I too must test him through my avatar. I watched the game for refer‐
ence."
"Phew..."
Longinus let out a deep sigh.
"My spear being blocked by a mere human... Originally, I didn't find the
taste of victory appealing, but today, it's even worse."
"You destroyed his torso, didn't you? If any more time had passed, the rest
would have crumbled as well."
130
⦘
"Dongbang Sak... Why are you doing this, knowing full well? He is human.
When the spear touches him, his body should disappear instantly. Yet he en‐
dured it..."
"A human..."
At the lamentation of Longinus, Dongbang sak uttered in a significant tone.
"Do you really think so? Do you consider him a human?"
"What do you mean?"
Swoosh!
Dongbang Sak took out a bottle from his waistband.
"Let's go inside to talk."
He opened the bottle's cork and,
Whoosh!
Dongbang Sak and Longinus were both sucked into it.
"Who on Tusung would hear us that we had to come in here..."
Longinus complained, but Dongbang Sak replied quietly, "Isn't the Martial
God listening?"
"...So he can't hear us here?"
"Just for a moment."
This bottle is immune to the gaze and ears of the Martial God?
Longinus looked around curiously, and then asked Dongbang Sak, "Why
should we avoid talking about whether Seong Jihan is human or not in front
of the Master?"
131
⦘
"Well... It's just my one-sided guess."
Dongbang Sak glanced around and then whispered softly, "From what I see,
that boy, Seong Jihan... might be a 'kin' to the Martial God."
***
***
132
⦘
Chapter 211
***
***
Longinus could scarcely believe it as he looked at Dongbang sak.
"A kinsman of the Martial God... are you saying Seong Jihan is not human,
but a member of the god race?"
"The god race..."
Dongbang sak stroked his beard.
"The concept of the god race is vague, not easily pinned down to a single
definition. Among the races of the BattleNet, those who are transcendental
are commonly referred to as the god race. There are human-shaped god
races, and there are many grotesque and bizarre ones as well."
"That may be, but... there is a commonality among the god race, isn't it?"
"What's a common trait of the god race?"
"Those who are recognized as 'god race' by the BattleNet."
In the universe, all sorts of races participate in the BattleNet.
In order to be classified as of the god race there, one must receive official
recognition by BattleNet.
133
⦘
Before that, no matter how powerful the race, they did not fall under the
classification of the god race.
"Recognition by BattleNet... Indeed. No matter how powerful, they are only

semi-godly without it. And certainly, the Martial God is officially recog‐
nized as of the god by BattleNet."
"Then Seong Jihan is really of the god race too?"
"No, that's not necessarily the case."
"...Didn't you say he is a kinsman of the Martial God?"
Longinus retorted as if not sure what Dongbang sak was getting at.
Dongbang sak plucked a strand of his beard.
"If he were of the god race, he wouldn't be able to participate in the Space
League or the Bronze. The grade is different; he wouldn't have been able to
participate under humanity's banner."
"That's true, but..."
Why then did you call him a kinsman of Martial God?
Longinus looked puzzled at Dongbang sak, who just then...
Smoke rose from the torn strand of his beard.
Then the smoke transformed into characters and floated in mid-air.
"I said he was a kinsman because he saw the letters of God Slaughter."
"The characters... of God Slaughter?"
"Yes. You were absorbed by the spear, God Slaughter and disappeared; you
must not have seen it... but he certainly was staring at something within the
smoke of the spear, just as the Martial God did."
134
⦘
Longinus's expression became grave.
He was well acquainted with the purple characters that emerged from the
spear, God Slaughter.
He had been granted the spear by the Martial God, and each time he used it,
those characters appeared.
He once tried to completely memorize the characters to interpret them, but

there were no corresponding references in the languages of the world.
Furthermore, he couldn't interpret them even with BattleNet's translation

system, so he had given up.
Only the Martial God.
Only he could recognize those characters....
"...That is surprising. To think that he could read letters only the Martial
God can see. But isn't it premature to say he's kinsman based on this
alone?"
"When I use my Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams, I see similar characters,
don't I?"
Longinus nodded.
Before the Martial God had modified the spear into the Many Returns Ce‐
lestial, in the form of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams that Dongbang
sak used.
Even then, unusual characters like those from the spear of God Slaughter
appeared.
"At that time, the Martial God murmured that it was the script of his kin."
"Because of that one aspect, you deduced he's kinsman?"
135
⦘
"Yes. The grounds are thin. Hence, it's still a conjecture. But given that the
Martial Soul was bestowed upon him, and other factors... the Martial God
and he are surely closely connected."
"Uhm... but still..."
Script of the kin.
Longinus frowned thoughtfully, to which Dongbang sak replied while

stroking his beard.
"We must use Seong Jihan well. If we find the meaning of the script
through him... we might find clues about our 'stolen business.'"
"Hmm..."
"Don't go rushing to Earth to kill him just because your spear was blocked."
"That's quite an accusation. What do you take me for...! I am not someone

to seek revenge over such trivial matters."
"Is that so? Good then."
Dongbang sak looked up at the ceiling.
The cork of the giant gourd was slightly shaking.
"We can no longer hide here. Let's go out."
"Understood."
Pop!
The two ascended through the opening of the uncorked gourd.
'Seong Jihan can read the characters...'
Longinus was plunged into complex contemplations as he followed Dong‐

bang sak.
136
⦘
Void training ground.
As soon as Seong Jihan arrived home, he entered the training ground.
He could have accessed the training ground through the BattleNet center,
but...
'It could take days of training, and it's uncomfortable staying there.'
Even though the training ground provided 5.5 times more time, since he
didn't know when the training would end, he chose to enter the training
ground at home for his peace of mind.
'The sensations at the time I was pierced by the God Slaughter. I have to
make it mine before I forget.'
The spear, God Slaughter that Longinus manifested.
The movements it made inside his body when it struck him were quite fresh
for Seong Jihan.
The strange movements of the Martial Soul and the void that occurred
while his body was disappearing left a strong impression on him.
'Did it start... like this before?'
As Seong Jihan was trying to follow the flow from a little while ago...
[Recent battle records are saved.]
[Do you wish to use the replay function?]
The system message made Seong Jihan's eyes sparkle.
'Replay... such a feature exists?'
After the promotion, the Void training ground was obtained.
137
⦘
Initially, the replay function was not active.
However, after playing the game once, this feature seemed to have been un‐
locked.
"I will use it."
The best method to learn is always to revise.
As Seong Jihan moved to use replay...
[The current replay slot cannot save this data.]
[Would you like to upgrade your replay slot to premium?]
[Upgrading the slot requires 1,000,000 achievement points.]
'1 million?' One million achievement points.
That was the amount he paid to unlock the training ground of the other
world.
And now, an upgrade for the replay storage space costs this much?
Seong Jihan was flabbergasted, however...
'...But there are still plenty of achievement points left. Let's consider it as an
investment.'
The slot upgrade wouldn't go anywhere once invested.
Seong Jihan boldly invested 1 million.
Then,
[Today's battle record is saved to the replay slot.]
[The player can playback the battle record from both the player's first-per‐
son perspective and the third-person perspective shown by the BattleNet
138
⦘
camera.]
The battle records of his first and fourth matches were saved.
'This interface... it's similar to the BattleTube editing screen...'
Having some knowledge of BattleTube editing from his past life, Seong Ji‐
han skillfully trimmed the saved battle records.
'There's nothing important about the first match...'
The crucial moment was when he was stabbed with the God Slaughter.
Seong Jihan deleted the first match record and decided to focus only on the
replay of the fourth match.
'In the third-person perspective... no characters appeared.'
In the viewer's third-person mode...
There, the characters arising from Longinus' spear did not appear.
Even as Seong Jihan was pierced and his body was blown open, No matter
how much he slowed the playback speed, it occurred instantly.
'That mode isn't helpful.'
After checking the third-person mode, Seong Jihan decisively entered the
first-person mode.
Thud!
When the spear was thrust into the cross and smoke rose...
[Target conditions, partially met.]
[Extinction code activated.]
There, characters appeared that did not show in third-person.
139
⦘
Characters whose origin was unknown but oddly understandable.
'Oh, in replay mode, it's possible to play, pause, and adjust speed.'
Seong Jihan observed the characters for a moment while paused, and then
slowed down the replay speed to study the effects of the God Slaughter
spear on his body once more.
'This... worth one million points indeed.'
With each slow replay, Seong Jihan learned more about the God Slaughter.
Although he initially doubted whether the replay mode was worth a million
achievement points, As he learned about the spear, he began to feel like the
investment was a bargain.
'Slow playback is annoying since the pain sensation is prolonged...'
The prolonged pain sensation due to the slow playback.
Despite that, without the option to block the senses, Seong Jihan sought the
answers in the midst of continual pain.
'The extinction code's manifestation... this is unique.'
The extinction code of the God Slaughter spear, which suppressed the Mar‐
tial Soul in union with the void.
However, before Seong Jihan's body could find the void.
it pierced through the Iron Blood Cross, there was no void for the God
Slaughter to merge with.
So, what caused the normally durable Iron Blood Cross to disappear in‐
stantly?
'Let's try playing it even slower.'
From the point of the stab.
140
⦘
Seong Jihan returned to that moment and played the replay even more
slowly.
'I still can't grasp it at this pace.'
A notch slower.
Seong Jihan replayed the entire process of being stabbed by the spear over a
hundred times and continuously felt it in his body.
Without the replay mode, he might have missed certain subtle clues that
gradually fit together like a puzzle.
'From the moment the spear was stuck, there was a strange flow inside the
cross.'
'When the extinction code manifested, the Iron Blood Cross began reacting
from within.'
'The essence of the Iron Blood Cross is the Martial Soul. The extinction
code... fundamentally ignited the Martial Soul.'
The flame that instantaneously burnt and erased the Martial Soul.
Only after playing at the slowest speed, could he briefly sense that flame.
'When "Target conditions, partially met" appeared, the void momentarily

emerged.'
'That became the fuel to burn the Martial Soul of the cross...'
The starting point that destroyed the Iron Blood Cross and penetrated Seong
Jihan's body was the flame of the void that arose through the manifestation
of the extinction code.
It ignited instantaneously.
It extinguished so quickly that it was unnoticed before the slowest speed

playback: the void's elusive fire.
141
⦘
'Can I... make use of this too?'
Seong Jihan's eyes sparkled.
If he could only harness it, this could become his most potent weapon.
Seong Jihan finished playing, wondering...
'How shall I use this?'
'No. This is to be discarded. I have to start with target conditions...'
'I need to look into the extinction code again.'
In reality, to use the void's stat, he went through countless trials and errors.
And then, on February 11th...
"Hmm..."
Having been in the void training ground for over 50 days, Seong Jihan...
"...Originally, this wasn't my goal."
From the tip of the phoenix spear.
He blinked, staring at the more intensely blazing crimson lightning.
The original goal was to harness the stat of the void.
'Has the Crimson Thunder Cannon... been completed?'
An unexpected result emerged.
He had only mixed the imperfect Crimson Thunder Cannon with an aim to
kindle the void's stat...
'Perhaps Brahma will think otherwise.'
It seemed finished to Seong Jihan.
142
⦘
But from Brahma's point of view, there might still be many deficiencies.
To confirm, Seong Jihan exited the training ground and logged into the
game to enter the Brahma's Constellation Map.
"Brahma, I have brought the Crimson Thunder Cannon"
Displaying The Crimson Thunder Cannon...
[Ohhh...! To achieve such a level of completion... ]
"Is it enough?"
[Enough! It is sufficient!]
Immediately, he received the go-ahead from Brahma.
***
***
143
⦘
Chapter 212
***
[Translator -- Asura]
[Proofreader -- Demon God]
***
Seong Jihan, having ascended to the Brahma Constellation Map, faced a

barrage of thunderous walls.
Within that wall, a blue lightning lion suddenly revealed its face.
The lion's eyes greedily fixate on the crimson lightning born from the radi‐
ance of Seong Jihan's phoenix flag.
[This is enough to become a completely new 'concept'... Nevertheless, half

of the essence is still thunder, so it can be reshaped.]
The crimson thunder, mixed with the fire elem ent in the Crimson Thunder
Cannon, felt relatively inferior in strength of fire when compared to those
concocted by the Marital God so far, rendering it incapable of a harmonious
unison of equal status.
Brahma bestowed upon Seong Jihan the ability called 'Hellfire,' awaiting
the completion of the crimson thunder.
However, he had never expected him to bring the results this soon.
[You... truly are a remarkable genius. I never imagined you could complete
this in such a short time.]
Seong Jihan felt a mix of embarrassment and pride from the god's lavish
praise.
144
⦘
A flame of void, potent maybe even beyond the magnificent Crimson Thun‐
der Cannon.
Had he not discovered this from the 'Extinction Code' of the God Slaughter
Script.
The crimson thunder would remain an unfinished chapter, never reaching its
conclusion.
In fact, this outcome was akin to an elephant accidentally stepping on a

mouse.
[With such talent, you will soon become one of the most formidable con‐
stellations in the universe!]
"What's this about constellations? I'm still just a Diam

ond Player."
[Diam
ond! Such prowess at the diam ond level... will certainly make you an
even stronger constellation soon enough! After becoming the Red Lion, let's
maintain our friendship!]
"Red Lion?"
[Exactly. I've already thought about the aftermath of leaving the Brahmas.]
Seong Jihan peered beyond the lightning wall.
With suspicious eyes, the 77,700 Brahmas now distant.
Planning to leave them shortly and live on as the Red Lion.
[The wandering Marital God's invasion is imminent... These fools believe

their power can overcome anything with the power of the Brahma. But they
will soon bitterly realize how wrong their assessment was.]
The blue lion, certain none could stand against the Martial God, was filled
only with thoughts of escape.
An act too cowardly for the head of the Brahmas.
145
⦘
'To think Nameless Divine Arts contain Celestial thunder, they've made the
right call.'
The Crimson Thunder Cannon, included in the Nameless Divine Arts could
have been learned while the wandering Martial God overpowered the Brah‐
mas.
"But how do I switch with this?"
[Can you maximize the crimson thunder? Let's transfer right away.]
"You should fulfill the contract first. EX-grade skill."
[Ah... yes, I was hasty. For powers that will weaken upon switching, better
use them now.]
Zzzt...!
A surge of potent lightning eman ating from the blue lion struck Seong Jihan
directly.
[The 'Leader of the Thunder Gods' fulfills the contract.]
[The skill 'Summon the throne' of an EX-grade is imparted to you.]
"Summon the throne?"
Because the name alone didn't give him an idea of what the skill was, Seong
Jihan tried to open the skill window to check, but [Once the 'complete crim‐
son thunder' concept is fully transferred, the skill can be utilized.]
The principle of reciprocation was clear in dealings with gods.
[Some of the Constellation's power I brought from the Brahma Constella‐

tion Map. It was quite a task to adjust it for an EX grade...]
"What does this skill do?"
[You'll know once you transfer the crimson thunder.]
146
⦘
"Okay."
Seong Jihan fanned the flames of crimson thunder even larger for the con‐
tract's exec ution.
The power now displayed was on a whole different level, its color shifting
to a deeper red.
[Yes...!]
The blue lion, which had only its head exposed, leaped towards the crimson
thunder.
Zzzt...!
His body was slowly covered with red thunder lightning, and the blue thun‐
der lightning constituting his body began to shrink as they turned red.
[This... the power of this fire is... tremendous. How can a mortal contain
such a concept?]
The Leader of the Thunder God, who continued to admire alone while re‐
ceiving the crimson thunder, began to transform. The blue thunder lightning
covering his body gradually turned red and started to shrink in size.
And then,
[Player Seong Jihan has fulfilled the contract.]
[The EX-grade skill, 'Summon the throne' has been completely transferred.]
[The contract is concluded.]
As Brahma was still transforming, a message of contract completion

popped up in front of Seong Jihan.
'I should check the skill first.'
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Since it wasn't time to get an explanation from Brahma who was merging
with the crimson thunder.
Seong Jihan brought up the skill description from the system.
[Summon the throne]
Grade: EX
-Summons the throne of the Constellation, including some of its powers.
-When the player sits on the throne, it restores the body to an optimal state
and facilitates growth beyond the limits of the species.
-Can be summoned once a month for three hours.
'It's a bit ambiguous.'
Seong Jihan tilted his head while looking at the skill description.
The part about restoring the body and promoting growth seemed appealing.
But the fact that it could only be summoned for three hours once a month
made its usability quite limited.
'Still, if they're giving it an EX grade... does it dramatically increase growth

potential?'
Compared to the EX-grade item 'Fragment of a Dead Star' that had reduced
the difficulty level of earth, Summon the throne seemed lacking.
Was the growth effect extraordinarily superior, Seong Jihan wondered.
[Has the contract been fulfilled...? What do you think? Isn't the skill use‐
ful?]
The lion, having absorbed half the crimson thunder, boasted to Seong Jihan.
"Not sure, what makes it an EX grade skill?"
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⦘
[Ah, maybe because you're not a constellation yet, the meaning of tran‐
scending the limits of the species doesn't quite resonate with you.]
"Does it significantly increase the stats?"
[No, it increases the growth limit more than that.]
Rumble, rumble...
In front of the lion, a 777 made of red currants appeared.
[To become the owner of the star, you need to achieve level 777. But that's
not the end. Even among Constellations, there is a hierarchy. To continue
growing from here, you must transcend the limits of the species.]
"Species limit."
[Yes. Your race, its abilities seem terribly inadeq uate... Even if you became
a constellation, it would be hard to go beyond level 777. That's when the
Constellation's power becomes necessary.]
"Don't other methods exist to transcend the species limit?"
[Not necessarily. However, sitting on the Throne is the simplest and most
effective way. Although you may find it puzzling why this is an EX-grade
right now, someday you will be greatly thankful to me.]
The Leader of the Thunder Gods spoke proudly. However, Seong Jihan
didn't feel the greatness as much.
'Constellation... That's a far-off future.'
Who knows when he'll have to fight with the Martial God. Having reached
level 777 and evolving one step further, the item might be useful. Although
the grade was high, its practicality was questionable at the moment.
At that moment,
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[But... this power of fire. It doesn't seem to absorb perfectly. Can you tell
me where this power originates from?]
Only 70% of the lion's body was dyed red. When the remaining 30% didn't
seem to progress at all, the leader of the thunder gods asked Seong Jihan.
"It's probab ly because of the void"
[What, what? Void?]
The lion jumped at the mention of the void.
Sharp currants sparked in his eyes.
[Void... Why's that power in the crimson thunder!]
"Seems there was no greater fire force."
[This...!]
Greatly flustered, the Leader of the Thunder God burst into a rage at Seong
Jihan.
[You, you've deceived me!]
"What deception?"
"If the Void seeps in, you can't exist as a god!"
"Really?"
[It means...]
That reminded Seong Jihan of the exchange he had with the Constellation
Of Dead Star.
He hadn't been able to confirm if that being was telling the truth.
'Seems like it might be true.'
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⦘
The lifespan restriction of the Void. It applied even to the gods.
"I didn't know man, I focused solely on completion."
[Darn it...! This disrupts my plans...!]
The Leader of Thunder Gods was left reeling, and then.
[But still, there's still hope. If I return to the Brahma Constellation Map..
Ha, you, just get out of here for now!]
Seong Jihan was forcibly recalled from the Brahma Constellation Map.
[The special dungeon 'Brahma Constellation Map -- God of Thundet'

opened to player Seong Jihan is now closed.]
Thus, Brahma prohibited access to the Constellation Map, going even fur‐
ther.
Moving on from there,
[The God of Thunder harshly admonishes that this is unacceptable.]
[It threatens to revoke its sponsorship.]
Hearing the threat to withdraw its support, Seong Jihan retorted, "Ah, is that
so? Do as you please."
Now that he had gotten his EX-grade skill, the revocation of Brahma's sup‐
port no longer mattered to him.
[The God of Thunder roars with anger, claiming to begin the withdrawal
process.]
"Oh, do it then. Since I got the EX-grade skill, I don't need anything from
you."
[The God of Thunder is unable to contain its anger.]
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[The God of Thunder proceeds with the withdrawal of the Constellation

sponsorship...]
So there will be an empty constellation slot.
Anticipating the farewell with Brahma, Seong Jihan casually observed the
system messages.
[The God of Thunder cancels the procedure to withdraw sponsorship.]
The God of Thunder, bursting with rage, suddenly withdrew the cancella‐
tion.
"Why? You said you wouldn't sponsor anymore."
[The God of Thunder rages, asking if you will leave Crimson Thunder as it
is.He condemns it as a violation of the contract.]
"Violation of the contract? How would I know if the void is related to the
lifespan or not? You should have paid attention when receiving the item."
[The God of Thunder expresses great anger.]
As Brahma continued to rage without rescinding its support, Seong Jihan,

grasping the situation, realized who really had the upper hand.
"Hey, stop getting angry and cancel the sponsorship quickly. I need to free
up the constellation slot."
[The God of Thunder is livid, accusing you of taking everything and turning
away.]
"Yes. Since I received everything, that's exactly what I'm doing."
Seong Jihan calmly responded.
In the current situation, the losing party was entirely the other side.
Whether the god raged or not, he saw no need to confer further.
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⦘
[The God of Thunder is at a loss for words to your response.]
From that divine message, Seong Jihan received no further tales of the
Brahma's anger.
The god seems to have realized its tantrum would only be a loss.
'After all, I have my complaints too.'
The EX-grade skill, 'Summon the throne,' was too far-sighted for his imme‐
diate needs.
In the current situation, it was a skill that seemed to waste its grade.
Still, since it can be used once a month.
For testing purposes, Seong Jihan summoned it in the training room of the
penthouse.
"Summon the throne."
As he did, a bright light flashed before his eyes.
A white silhouette appeared.
In the dazzling light.
"Uncle, did you finally finish training? I haven't seen you in two weeks."
Yoon Seah, who was outside the training room, came in and, seeing the
summoned Throne, squinted her eyes.
"...What is this? Is it a massage chair?"
The summoned Throne of a constellation.
Despite shimmering with light,
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⦘
its appearance, as Yoon Seah said, resembled that of a massage chair.
"This... is a 'Constellation Throne'?"
"Yes."
"It really looks like a massage chair though?"
"The appearance is somewhat similar."
It claims to restore the body to an optimal state.
Does it have a relaxation function?
Seong Jihan approached the throne and sat down.
And Then,
Twinkle! Twinkle!
As the chair sparkled, Seong Jihan's entire body instantly relaxed.
His tired body felt even more rejuvenated.
'...It's nice, no doubt.'
Even though it outperformed any massage chair he had used before, consid‐
ering it's an EX-grade skill, this couldn't be the end, right?
The body was more comfortable than ever, but the situation in his mind was
becoming increasingly uncomfortable.
At that moment,
Ssssss...
A system message appeared before Seong Jihan's eyes.
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⦘
[You have seated on the Constellation throne officially recognized by the

BattleNet System.]
[The Level limit has been increased by 30]
[The limit for accepting Void Stat increases. Void Stat starting from 105 is
now affiliated with the will of the Void.]
While he expected the level limit to increase, the information about the
Void Stat was unexpected.
'Does this mean I can invest further into the void?'
Seong Jihan recalled the scene of Brahma hasting back to the Constellation
map.
He said he would be alright if he returned to the Brahma Constellation Map.
Was this the meaning behind it?
'I have to sit here every month, no matter what.'
The throne was more than just a massage chair.
While Seong Jihan found usefulness in the Constellation throne and was re‐
lieved, [Two more players may also benef it from the Throne's effects.]
Another message suggesting two more people than Seong Jihan could bene‐
fit from the throne's effects popped up.
'That means......'
Reading the message, Seong Jihan asked Yoon Seah.
"Seah, is your father at home?"
"Yeah. He just got here."
"Tell him to come here, quick."
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⦘
"Why, because of the massage chair?"
As Yoon Seah grinned and pointed to the chair,
Seong Jihan nodded.
"Alright. I'll bring him."
Watching Yoon Seah saunter off lightly, he pondered quietly.
'The ability to restore the body to its optimal state... it might even work for
the eyes.'
The EX-grade item claimed to restore the body to its prime.
Beyond the relaxation function, there might also be a chance for healing.
"A massage chair, huh... not bad."
"Don't be silly, Dad! You wouldn't believe how great it works; even uncle
was all thawed out. Try it yourself!"
Soon, Yoon Seah brought Yoon Sejin, and he sat upon the Constellation
throne.
***
***
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Chapter 213
***
***
Flash! Flash!
As flashes ignite from the throne,
"This is... exceptional? The best massage I've had till date."
Yoon Sejin settled into the seat with a look of sheer comfort.
"This is an EX-grade item," he was told.
"...You're joking, right? A massage chair, that's EX-grade?"
"That's right."
"Besides the refreshing sensation, does it have any other effects?"
Yoon Sejin asked incredulously. Suddenly,
Swoosh...
His body became enveloped in pure white light, especially bright around his
eyes.
"Uh..."
He blinked against the coolness felt around his eyes.
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⦘
The area which had been slashed and crushed like it went through a mincer.
Shockingly, it seemed completely restored in an instant.
And then,
"No way..."
The lost sight returned, vision clear and sharp once more.
"Ah, Dad... your eyes? Can you see now?!"
"Yes... I can, Seah."
"Dad!"
With a heart full of joy, Yoon Seah tried to embrace her father, but the
throne blocked her approach with a flash of light.
"Why is this happening?"
"It looks like only one person can sit at a time."
"Ah..."
Yoon Seah scratched her cheek in her excitement to hug her father. Yoon
Sejin, watching her, remarked, "Seah, you've gained a lot of muscle."
"...That's what you say first after your sight has been restored? So touch‐
ing."
"Still the most beautiful girl in the world."
"Ugh... Stop, it's cringy. Just go with 'you're muscular'."
Reacting to Yoon Sejin's words as if she got goosebumps, Yoon Seah held
her arm and looked over at Seong Jihan.
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⦘
"Uncle, how did you do this? Even the supporters said Dad's eyes couldn't
be treated yet."
"That massage chair, It has the power to restore the body to its prime. I
thought maybe it could restore the eyes since it's an EX-grade item."
"Wow. So it wasn't a joke, it's actually EX-grade?"
"Why would I joke about something like that? Brother-in-law, any more
system messages?"
Following Seong Jihan's inquiry, Yoon Sejin gazed into the void.
"It says sitting on the BattleNet-endorsed Constellation increased the level

limit by 30. It also says it restored the body."
"No messages about increasing the void stats limit?"
"Nothing like that."
"Okay then."
So the void increase only applies if one has void abilities?
Seong Jihan nodded to Yoon Sejin,
"Just tell the media you recovered your sight using a recovery item."
"Yeah... we can't disclose the existence of this chair."
"And Seah, it's your turn after brother-in-law is done."
"Eh? Me? I'm perfectly healthy. Let Dad sit again."
"It doesn't carry over. And I want to test something."
When Yoon Sejin got up from his seat, Yoon Seah took her turn on the Con‐
stellations throne.
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⦘
Flash! Flash!
Light burst forth from her body.
"Wow... this feels really great?"
The one who declared that she doesn't need massages, Yoon Seah's expres‐
sion softened in an instant.
The throne's relax feature had even restored sight that was lost.
Fatigue was thoroughly erased from her body.
And then,
"Oh... I've got a message too! The level limit increased by 30, and the void
stat threshold... it's gone up?"
"Really? You don't have any void stats yet, do you?"
"No... I don't have the stats yet, but the limit went up."
Yoon Seah, though a Void Analyst by class, hadn't yet acquired any void
stat.
However, a message appeared that didn't appear for the Sword King, seem‐
ingly related to her void involvement.
"How much did it increase by?"
"It went up by 10. It's bound to the will of the void starting from 110."
"Mine only went up 5. The throne's effects are stronger on you."
"Really? Is it because I'm a Void Analyst? But when will I actually get void
stats..."
What's the point of an increased limit with no actual void ability?
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⦘
While Yoon Seah lamented comfortably seated on the throne, [The Constel‐
lation 'Witch of the Void' is astounded by your sitting on the throne.]
[She's contemplating an unbelievable thing to happen, even if it's an illu‐

sion.]
After selecting the class Void Analyst, the quiet Constellation Witch of the
Void sent a message.
"Oh... Mom sent a message!" Yoon Seah exclaimed.
"What is it, Seah?"
"Well..."
She glanced at Yoon Sejin and said,
"She... said Dad should leave."
"...Okay, got it."
Having just regained his sight with a satisfied smile, he left the room with a
wry grin upon hearing that.
"And me?"
"Uncle needs to stay."
"Really? You have something to tell me?"
"Um... Mom's asking if you've invested a lot in void stat."
"Tell her it's at 55."
"Mom complains you don't plan on living long. She says to stop increasing
it."
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⦘
"It's fine.. I can live up to 70, right?"
The void stat that had proved so benef icial to Seong Jihan---the abilities it
provided were just the beginning, with many perks gained from embracing
the void, like the void shop and training grounds now essential elem ents.
He couldn't abandon void capabilities, not knowing when he'd face the Mar‐
ital God.
"I'll keep working with the void."
As Seong Jihan firmly refused, a cascade of messages rolled down Yoon

Seah's system window.
[The Witch of the Void laments you never listen to your sister.]
[Asking why would you do this? If you don't want to live long, she com‐
plains.]
[Even if it's an illusion, does it need to be this real? She grumbles.]
Seong Jihan, bringing up that in the system window made Yoon Seah
scratch her cheek.
'Better not to pass this on.'
After berating Seong Jihan for a while, the Witch of the Void got to the
point.
[The Witch of the Void asks if you really want void abilities.]
The message's tone suggests she might grant them if desired.
Yoon Seah asked with shining eyes, "Uncle. Are void abilities that great?"
"Why?"
"Mom says she'll give them to me."
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"Don't accept them."
"Why not? I want to be stronger!"
"Living long is better."
"But you, uncle?"
"Me? I'm fine. There's a way."
Yoon Seah narrowed her eyes.
It felt like a dismissive answer with no evident plan.
Then,
[The Witch of the Void says she can grant void powers temporarily if you
promise not to increase your void stat by more than 10.]
"10? Is there a problem if it's more?"
[The Witch of the Void insists that the gap between your current stat and the
void threshold must be over 100.]
"Ah..."
Now that her limit increased by +10 after sitting on the throne, It seems
okay to have 10 void stats points.
"Uncle. Mom says as long as there's a 100-point gap between the threshold
and the current stat, it's okay."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Should I...?"
Yoon Seah, appearing decisively, seemed beyond persuasion.
'...I shouldn't let my niece go astray.'
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⦘
Seong Jihan silently consented.
She readily spoke to the message window,
"I promise, Mom."
[The Witch of the Void temporarily bestows void on 'Yoon Seah'.]
Swoosh...
A purple mist rose and absorbed into Yoon Seah's body, and a void ability
manifested in her status window.
[The Witch of the Void once again warns not to increase the void stat more
than 10 until the limit is raised.]
Ending the message with one more emphasis on not to go beyond 10, the
Witch of the Void cut off.
"Mom's gone..."
The joy of obtaining a void stat was fleeting as Yoon Seah became silent
once more, watching the system window wistfully.
Meanwhile,
[The throne has been unsummoned.]
[It can be resummoned in one month.]
The throne, having served its purpose after seating three players, vanished
into the light.
'The throne... it was pretty good after all.'
It restored Yoon Sejin's eyes in an instant and increased the threshold for
void stat.
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⦘
Though the reason why it was EX-grade remained a mystery, it proved

quite useful.
'But Jiah's words... differ from those of the Constellation of the Dead star.'
The Constellation of the Dead star earnestly told Seong Jihan not to exceed
the void stat by 100, but the Witch of the Void emphasized there has to be a
100-point gap between the threshold and the void stats.
Between the two Constellations, it seemed more logical to follow the words
of the 'Witch of the Void'.
Yet,
'If I abide by my sister's words, even if the void limit rises each time I sit on
the throne... it means not increasing void stats for over 10 months.'
The throne, summonable once a month, and even with following its inter‐
vals to increase the limit, If he abided by his sister's words, Seong Jihan
would have to leave his void stats untouched for over ten months.
'I can't afford to do that.'
Seong Jihan decided not to listen to her, just like when she was alive.
Of course,
"Seah, don't ever increase your void stat points by more than 10."
Yoon Seah was the exception.
"Understood. Uncle, will you keep a 100-point gap?"
"Not me, I'm fine."
"Really...! Mom was lamenting you're still disobedient."
"Was she? I'm somehow different with my sister."
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⦘
Seong Jihan chuckled.
"Ugh. Really..."
Yoon Seah glared at him, then suddenly clapped her hands enthusiastically,
"Ah. Uncle! I have something to brag about!"
"What's that?"
"I reached level 213."
Yoon Seah, who had been blessed with Late Bloomer's effects, continued to
exhibit an impressive growth rate even after ascending to the Diam
ond
League.
"But... uncle, what level are you?"
"Me?"
Seong Jihan checked his status in response to Yoon Seah's question.
"215."
"Ah~ so close. Thought I'd overtake you this time! Why's your level so high
without playing much?"
"Gained levels as rewards from the promotion match and national team bat‐
tles."
Though Seong Jihan explained so, the fact that Yoon Seah was only two
levels behind---a closer gap than he expected---surprised him.
'Late Bloomer's growth rate is unbelievably high.'
There had been quite the gap before, but while Seong Jihan took a break
from leveling up to catch Shizuru and prepare for the battle against the
Elves, Yoon Seah impressively closed in on him.
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⦘
Of course, their abilities differed like heaven and earth despite the narrowed
level gap.
"I should log into BattleNet again."
"Uncle, you're finally starting?"
"Well, can't have you overtake me just like that."
Seong Jihan decided to return to BattleNet, which he had neglected due to

training.
'And now, with leveling up, I can increase void as well.'
Thus, Seong Jihan, who entered the game for the first time since reaching
diam
ond, saw, [You are among the top 0.001% of players.]
[You have been assigned to the Diam

ond League, Space -- 4 Area.]
'Space 4?' Instead of Gangnam 1 Area, he was reassigned to Space -- 4

Area.
A change brought on by BattleNet's main game.
'For Earthlings, Space 12 was the highest before... and I just reached dia‐
mond and I'm up to 4 already.'
As Seong Jihan contemplated his memories of a past life, [The player has
been assigned to the special dungeon map, 'Boss Election'.]
[Will you participate in the 'Boss Election'?]
He received the message that a special map had been assigned to him.
***
167
⦘
***
168
⦘
Chapter 214
***
***
'Boss Election... Space 4 is definitely something different.'
The Space Area.
This league allowed not only Earthlings but also players from other races in
the Space League to participate in the game. It was known for its higher dif‐
ficulty compared to the regional areas, as only the most outstanding individ‐
uals from each race were selected. However, the rewards in terms of experi‐
ence points and GP were substantial enough to offset the difficulty.
'In my past life, the Space 12 I belonged to had double the basic rewards...
but Space 4 will probab ly give even more.'
With this, even at the Diam

ond level, the leveling speed wouldn't slow
down.
As Seong Jihan contemplated this, he carefully read the description of the

Boss Election map.
[Boss Election]
[You have been selected as the mid-boss of the Hell Demon Palace.]
[Achieve the most outstanding performance among the 11 mid-bosses!]
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⦘
[The player with the highest score will become the dungeon boss of the
month.]
[If selected as the boss, an NPC imitating the player will become the hidden
boss in the Diam ond Dungeon map for a month.]
[Each time the hidden boss defeats a player, GP and experience point re‐
wards will automatically be received.]
'Ho-oh.' Seong Jihan's eyes lit up as he read the map description.
Normally, when playing a dungeon map, you naturally stood on the side at‐
tacking the dungeon. However, this special game had the mid-bosses of the
dungeon facing the incoming players.
'GP is now practically useless, but experience points are different.'
After obtaining the Void, Seong Jihan found that additional stats and level‐
ing up were more critical than before. If he won the Boss Election and be‐
came the hidden boss, an NPC imitating him would automatically earn ex‐
perience points, making winning this game crucial.
"I will participate."
As Seong Jihan decided to participate,
[Player Seong Jihan will participate in the Boss Election...]
[The mid-boss room of the Hell Demon Palace is already full. You need to
challenge and take the spot from an existing mid-boss.]
[Would you like to challenge the 11th mid-boss?]
Perhaps due to deciding to participate in mid-February, the message already

indicated that the room was full. However, consistent with BattleNet's style,
he could fight to take over an occupied spot.
About to press 'Yes,' Seong Jihan asked the system, "Can't I challenge the
1st place?"
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⦘
[You can only challenge the lowest-ranked mid-boss.]
"Alright. Then let's do it."
[Challenging the 11th mid-boss, 'Agnar's Mid-Boss Room.]
Swooosh...
In an instant, the environment changed.
Swoosh...
The 11th-ranked mid-boss room was surrounded by a sea of flames.
Flames surged from all directions, and the floor was a stream of lava, leav‐
ing no room to stand.
And in the middle of this world,
A massive flame giant looked down upon Seong Jihan.
"Agnar?"
[Are you the challenger?]
"Yes."
Boom!
Flames erupted from all around.
[To think such a pathetic race would challenge me... Disgusting!]
The flame giant Agnar stretched out a colossal palm.
His presence didn't match his rank at the bottom of the mid-bosses -- it was
overpoweringly intense.
However, Seong Jihan,
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⦘
"Hey, wait a second."
With a casual expression, he raised his hand.
[Haha! You challenged me and now, are you begging for mercy because
you're scared?]
"No, Let me turn on BattleTube first."
[What...!]
The flame giant paused amid his incredulous reaction when, "Hello, sub‐
scribers."
Seong Jihan turned on BattleTube after a long hiatus.
"It's been a while since my last stream."
He slightly bowed to the viewers.
-No way! What's going on!
-I thought the notification was a mistake!
-He turned on the broadcast after a million years, seriously ㅠㅠ
Alerts rang out in Seong Jihan's channel, which had been closed for quite
some time and all the subscribers poured in.
"Oh, training took longer than expected. So, I just turned on BattleNet
now."
-He trained for that long... Is it because of Vladimir?
-Vladimir revealed in an interview that he became so powerful because his

Constellation descended, right?
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⦘
-He was so tough in our match but didn't seem all that strong against China
lol. Vladimir became incredibly powerful due to his constellation.
Russia may have lost to Korea, but the interviews all focused on him.
[The reason I demonstrated a transformed ability is... because the Constella‐

tion I serve has descended upon me.]
During the interview at that time.
He revealed about the advent with Longinus' permission.
Since then, the interest in Seong Jihan has skyrocketed.
-Doesn't Seong Jihan have a Constellation?
-Of course, he does. How can you beat the Constellation without the Con‐
stellation?
"A Constellation? I do have one. It's behaving strangely, though."
Seong Jihan, reminded of Brahma, answered the viewers' questions.
-But where are you right now?
-It looks like a fiery pit of hell lol
-Are there maps like this in diam

ond?
"Seems like I got put into a special dungeon map because I'm assigned to
Space 4."
-??
-Space 4??
-Sword King just got assigned to Space 15...
-Isn't there a 1 missing in front?
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⦘
-That's insane lolololol
By mid-February.
Viewers who roughly knew about Space Area were shocked to hear that
Seong Jihan was assigned to Space 4.
The current highest record for humanity is in Space Area 15, where the
Sword King belongs.
But how many levels had Seong Jihan jumped on his own?
"I ended up here somehow."
As Seong Jihan casually proceeded with BattleTub [Innom...!]
The flame giant, who had momentarily stopped moving, let out a roar.
[Keep filming as it is! I will crush you right where you are!]
Swoosh!
Flames soared from every corner.
The inferno seemed to roar even fiercer in response to the giant's rage.
-What's this, seriously;
-Straight to the final boss?
-The scale of this fire giant is insane...
-It looks like ten people can fit in the palm of his hand The viewers were
shocked at the size of the fire giant that appeared as soon as the game
started.
"Oh, wait a moment. I'll deal with this guy and be right back."
Seong Jihan glanced at the giant and casually grasped his phoenix spear.
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⦘
The crimson lightning gathered at the tip of the spear.
Within it, a violet spark flashed briefly.
Nameless divine art, Fusion of Divine thunder and phoenix -- Crimson

Thunder cannon A streak of crimson lightning shot forward from the spear
tip, piercing right through the giant's hand.
[Ho, to counter me with fire...!]
Initially, the flame giant scoffed at the sensation of fire energy within the
crimson lightning, but then...
Zzzzt...
The crimson lightning that penetrated his palm quickly spread throughout
his body.
[What...?]
Only then did he realize the turn of events wasn't in his favor.
And then,
Swoosh...
A violet flame rose from the crimson thunder, floating above the crimson
cannon.
It engulfed the body of the flame giant as it was.
In an instant, it was incinerated.
-Can't be... Is it over?
-Did he die in one hit?
-No... The fire lord's grand entrance looked amazing; why is he so weak ㅋ
ㅋ
175
⦘
-Seong Jihan is freaking strong ㅋㅋㅋ
-The crimson lightning seems stronger now D: The flame giant vanished in
one shot.
[You have subdued Agnar, ranked 11th mid-boss.]
[You have captured the mid-boss room.]
[Player Seong Jihan moves up to the 11th rank.]
Along with that, all the flames disappeared.
And the mid-boss room, which was like a hell of fire, turned into an open
space with a solid earth floor.
'The completed crimson thunder is truly powerful.'
Seong Jihan looked around.
Mid-boss room.
It was a vast space, large enough for hundreds or thousands of people to en‐
ter and still have room.
The reason this place was turned into a hell of fire was because of the pow‐
erful ability of the fire giant Agnar but the Crimson Thunder Cannon had
managed to subdue such an opponent with fire.
'The destructive power of the void's flame is off the charts.'
Even though Seong Jihan had not yet fully analyzed the Extinction Code,
the performance was impressive.
He smiled satisfactorily.
-Does this mean the broadcast is over today?
-Enemy boss was defeated as soon as the stream started...
176
⦘
-No ㅠㅠ It's been so long ㅠㅠ
-This must be the fastest battle ever, right?
Meanwhile, the viewers worried, wondering if the broadcast was about to

end since Agnar was taken down in one shot.
"No. Actually, today's broadcast is likely to take quite a while. I'll be the
mid-boss here for now."
-Eh? Mid-boss?
-Seong Jihan becomes a boss? lolol
-Is there such a game?
"It's a special map, that's why."
Seong Jihan explained the 'Boss Election' special map, dispelling viewers'
concerns.
And not long after,
Ziiiiing...
[You have become the 11th in the hierarchy of the Hell Demon Palace.]
[Do you wish to use GP to summon monsters to defend the mid-boss

room?]
A window to summon supporting monsters for the mid-boss room appeared.
'Monsters... Do I really need to summon them?'
Although the mid-boss room was spacious.'
At this level, it was more than enough to cover alone.
177
⦘
While Seong Jihan was contemplating whether it was necessary to spend

GP to summon a monster, an Epic Quest appeared.
[Epic Quest]
-Solo, guard the corridor to the end with BattleTube ON, and rise to rank 1.
-Reward -- 10,000,000 achievement points
-Treasure Chest of the Hell Demon Palace An epic quest appeared after a
long while.
'This makes the decision easier.'
Seong Jihan never seriously considered summoning monsters.
The epic quest affirmed his initial thoughts.
What emerges from the Treasure Chest of the Hell Demon Palace might be
unknown, but ten million in achievement points alone was enough reward.
'But BattleTube ON... just keep streaming like now?'
He tilted his head at the epic quest's prerequisite.
BattleTube ON.
What's that about?
Right on cue, a system message provided insight.
[Will you open the mid-boss room to the public?]
[If you do, more challengers will direct their invasion towards this passage.]
[All power gets disclosed, making it easier for opponents to counter.]
178
⦘
'That must be it.'
Seong Jihan looked around.
An empty field was now under barely glowing lights from above--- a stark
change from Agnar's fiery pit.
Whether disclosed or not, it seemed like it wouldn't make it any easier for
adversaries to counter.
But still,
'The monster summoning window offers various options. There's trap in‐
stallation and map transformations like changing it to a fiery hell.'
Using the mid-boss manager options to transform the map could become a
significant variable if information was disclosed.
However, for Seong Jihan looking to complete the epic quest, those man‐
ager options were like a pie in the sky.
"Open it."
He unhesitatingly chose to disclose the mid-boss room.
Then,
-- Uh... what's this?
-There's a new view option in BattleTube?
-Oh... when you press it, the mid-boss room appears in top-down view lol -
Did BattleTube always have this feature?
BattleTube viewers experienced the change for the first time.
And,
-Race name... 'Human'?
179
⦘
Among the viewers, instead of a national flag icon, Some started to carry a
star symbol next to their ID.
-What's that planet icon? There's another symbol apart from the flag?
-That's cool. A newly added premium purchase? How much is it?
-What premium purchase, there's no such thing lolol -How did you do it,
Archon?
While viewers marveled at the new symbols belonging to the incoming visi‐
tors, -The rating of the 'human' race is quite low. How did they compete in
Space 4?
-Declaring the dungeon open is so ignorant of this race.
-The dungeon space is unrenovated. Compared to the previous number 11

dungeon, this one's easier to conquer.
-Is this individual, selected as the mid-boss, using Hideout to conceal their
look?
Those with the star symbol quickly analyzed Seong Jihan's mid-boss room.
-He didn't summon even a single monster. This race is ignorant about this
map.
-The optimal route to conquer...
-The coordinates have been sent.
They began sending out strange chats.
And not long after,
Rumble...
[Here it is!]
180
⦘
[The scouting panel was right.]
[There's no preparation at all!]
In Seong Jihan's corridor many 'guests' began to arrive.
***
***
181
⦘
Chapter 215
***
***
Thud! Thud!
The first race that arrived was a bipedal monster wearing red armor all over
its body, with brown skin.
The monster, twice the size of a human, with long protruding fangs, wan‐
dered around Seong Jihan's mid-boss room.
[Is anyone here?]
The monster scanned Seong Jihan's mid-boss room, searching for the owner
of the passage indefatigably.
Then,
[Over there, below.]
One of them spotted Seong Jihan, pointing at him with their finger.
[A race as diminutive as a child, it seems.]
[He doesn't seem like a mid-boss.]
[But I can't see the face well... It's covered in darkness.]
Due to the hideout effect, Seong Jihan's appearance was not visible to this
race. However, since the rough silhouette was revealed, the monsters ig‐
182
⦘
nored him, judging only by his size.
[Standing there all alone... could it be a trap?]
[Let's get rid of it first.]
[Once we do, the mid-boss should show up.]
[Kill it!]
Flash!
The long protruding fangs turned bright red, and the monster's skin instantly
turned red.
And in an instant, a horde of monsters rushed towards Seong Jihan.
Although they talked about it being a trap, there was no hesitation in their
advance.
'The color is slightly different, but the appearance is quite similar to the troll
race.'
Trolls, possessing powerful physical abilities and overwhelming regenera‐

tive powers.
The red monsters in front of him looked quite similar to those who occupied
the middle and lower ranks in the Space League where humans belonged.
Is the troll race not exclusive to a single planet?
'Are the weaknesses the same?'
Swoosh...
Seong Jihan's Eclipse, the shadow sword, revealed its appearance in his
hand.
The sword lightly drew a horizontal line.
183
⦘
Nameless Divine Art, Triad of Martial Mastery -- Total Annihilation Then,
Snap!
The fangs of the red troll were split in half.
[Kook...!]
[Th-the teeth...!]
The trolls that were quickly advancing all fell, rolling on the ground.
'Their weakness is also their teeth.'
The teeth of the trolls.
While it was a crucial means to enhance the trolls, breaking them greatly
weakened their power.
However, the strength of their teeth was incredibly hard, so attacking them
as weaknesses was generally ineffective. Still, once they were broken, it
significantly weakened their strength.
'As I expected, its too easy.'
To Seong Jihan, they were just monsters that were easy to deal with.
Swoosh!
As the sword moved again, the necks of ten trolls fell simultaneously.
[You have repelled the invaders].
[Boss points increased by 100].
He earned points from them.
Is it giving 10 points for each?
184
⦘
"Scoreboard."
Seong Jihan opened the scoreboard to check his rank.
1st -- Artemus Legion (Artemus) -- 192,340 [Open]
2nd -- ?? -- 97,220
3rd -- ?? -- 72,770
4th -- ?? -- 40,410
......
11th -- Nameless (Seong Jihan) -- 100 [Open]
'...Why is there such a big difference between 1st place and me?'
Perhaps because he had intruded in the middle of a special dungeon map.
The gap between him and the first rank was surprisingly wide.
Seong Jihan looked behind his scoreboard.
From 2nd to 10th place, there was a [?] mark, indicating that their informa‐
tion was not revealed.
The fact that all information about 1st place was visible was probab ly be‐
cause he had revealed the mid-boss room.
[Press [Open] to view the publicly available boss room of the competition.]
[Do you want to inspect the opponent's boss room?]
Following the system message below the scoreboard, Seong Jihan immedi‐
ately clicked [Open] for first place.
Then, a large screen appeared in front of him, [Publicized boss room, re‐
playing the interior of 'Artemus Legion.'.]
185
⦘
The appearance of Artemus Legion, the 1st place boss room, was revealed.
-What is that....
-Dwarves?
-The first-placed boss looks so underwhelming, right?
Viewers who were watching Jihan's channel through the screen expressed
their confusion when they saw the appearance of the publicly disclosed
Artemus Legion.
[Artemus Legion. Get ready!]
The Artemus Legion on the screen looked like a weak dwarf race at first
glance.
Their size was barely half of a human, and the boss room was filled with
numerous dwarves.
Behind Legion, various weapons were piled up like a mountain.
-The weapons look quite good.
-What... is it? Dwarves?
-A blacksmith race? The appearance is somewhat similar.
While the viewers commented on the first-placed boss room, Thud! Thud!
Many invaders entered the boss room of Artemus.
[The treasures of Artemus are here!]
[Ignore the legion! It's profitable even if we only take the weapons!]
Invaders more intent on grabbing the weapons behind the dwarves than
fighting legion itself, [Charge!]
186
⦘
The dwarfish legion moved in unison to block them, clinging to the colossal
invaders in a flash.
[Annoying little...]
Boom! Boom!
Countless dwarves exploded while trying to withstand the attack of the gi‐
ant invaders, but...
Swooosh...
Even if they died and disappeared, similar-looking dwarves continued to

emerge from the ground.
[Deal with them roughly and grab the weapons!]
Unable to withstand the continuous assault of the dwarf legion, the invaders
focused on grabbing weapons while ignoring the dwarves.
[Argh... there it is...!]
[Uh, secured. Put it in the inventory!]
Thunk! Thunk!
While being overwhelmed by the concentrated attack of the dwarves and

gradually dying one by one, the invaders who managed to get their hands
on the weapons died happily.
-Dwarves' supply assault lol
-But are the weapons really that good? They seem to love dying.
-Invaders keep coming, wow
-Tactics of luring monsters for treasures, it seems.
187
⦘
The seemingly weak dwarves guarding the treasure, coupled with the
tempting treasure, explained why numerous invaders were flocking towards
them.
However, as Seong Jihan observed the dwarf legion, his gaze turned cold.
'Externally weak, but... their actual power might be different. It can't be

weak; otherwise, they couldn't keep 1st place.'
If the displayed power was everything.
Artemus wouldn't have been able to maintain 1st place until acquiring
190,000 points.
artemus
Behind the seemingly weak appearance, there must be hidden strength.
-Artemus. Playing pranks again.
-Newbies always fall for it.
And the extraterrestrial viewers who entered Seong Jihan's channel, After
seeing Artemus's boss room, they evaluated it as bait.
Perhaps this was a well-known method already.
'But the strategy seems quite solid, doesn't it?'
Seong Jihan's eyes gleamed as he continued to watch Artemus's boss room,

where intruders kept coming without a break.
Even if it was a bait, the weapons seemed so tempting, and the continuous
influx of intruders increased Artemus's point acquisition speed significantly.
'I need to benchmark this.'
Seong Jihan turned on the dungeon manager option to review the items
once more.
188
⦘
[This is it!]
[He really is unprepared, isn't he?]
[Even the name on the passage is Nameless!]
As various races continued to invade the dungeon, "Wait a second, I'm

busy."
Whoosh!
When Seong Jihan swung his sword once, all of them were split in half.
-A boss worthy of his rank.
-He should be in the upper ranks with that strength.
After Seong Jihan cut down the invaders with a single stroke, the extrater‐
restrial viewers raised their evaluations.
-But still, the limits of the race are clear. Despite that, it's still worth invad‐
ing compared to other routes.
-Let's unite on this route. If we attack together, we might be able to block

them.
-Okay.
Putting limits on human potential, they even planned a joint attack.
-Why are those guys openly plotting in someone else's chat room? Ugh.
-Now even aliens are messing around lolol -Shouldn't public access be
stopped now? ㅠㅠ
└└ You have to attract a lot of enem

ies to raise your ranking.
While viewers were bewildered by these extraterrestrial races, Seong Jihan

noticed something interesting.
189
⦘
'Oh, there's such an option.'
Seong Jihan's eyes twinkled as he looked at an item he had passed by in the

dungeon manager options earlier.
"Alright, let's decorate the room a bit."
Tap, tap.
As Seong Jihan organized his thoughts, he touched various items in the

manager options.
[1,000,000 GP has been consumed.]
[1,000,000 GP has been consumed.]
With a million GP disappearing each time, brilliant gold bars began to ma‐
terialize in all directions.
Simultaneously, the dim space transformed.
The floor was adorned with pristine white marble, and the walls were cov‐
ered in gold.
-Oh... the room suddenly became splendid.
-What are those gold bars? They're shining so brightly.
-It turned into a treasure vault all of a sudden, lol.
As viewers observed the abrupt changes with fascination: "So, each of these
gold bars is worth 1 million GP."
Thud, thud, thud...
Behind Seong Jihan, the gold bars started piling up like mountains.
190
⦘
-Are you trying to follow artemus? How much will those GP bars get you...
-Don't need to do that; they would invade since it's so easy anyway.
-Well, that's great. Overpower him and gain GP.
At first, the extraterrestrial races viewers responded indifferently to Seong

Jihan's ploy, but then, "Okay. These diam onds... they give stat points, don't
they?"
Surprise overcame them as he placed giant diam

onds atop the gold bars.
-What?
-That's a 5 stat point diam

ond!
-He summoned another one!
-Did he really just summon that... Is he crazy?!
Giant diam
onds that one could only summon at the risk of their own stats.
Since extra stat points were the most precious commodity in BattleNet, the
extraterrestrial beings watching Seong Jihan's channel went wild.
-No need to form an alliance!
-It's ours!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
With giant diam

onds placed, the noise in Seong Jihan's boss room intensi‐
fied rapidly.
Rumble...
As the doors of the boss chamber opened on their own, [Out of the way!]
[We're first!]
191
⦘
[There really are stat diam

onds...!]
A plethora of monsters, their eyes bloodshot, began to pour in.
"Good effect."
Swooosh!
Seong Jihan grinned and raised his sword.
Cheeeeeek!
They got cut in half by Seong Jihan's sword There were all kinds of races,
but Seong Jihan's sword split them all equally in half.
[He's strong!]
Then, the enem

ies behind him hesitated for a moment.
[Still, I can't miss the stat diam

ond... ... !]
[Warriors, prepare yourself for defense and go!]
[There is no need to fight him. Just take the diam

onds!]
Stat diam
onds made them forget their fears and Various monster races ad‐
vanced again.
Seong Jihan looked at them and smiled.
'Diam
onds defin itely work better than gold bars. huh... ... .'
Swoosh!
Seong Jihan once again wiped out the enemy with one sword.
Through manager options, the dungeon name was changed from nameless.
11th place -- I have 10 diam

onds (Seong Jihan) 700
192
⦘
As a latecomer, attracting customers is Seong Jihan's top priority.
He decided to put diam

onds, which everyone was passionate about, at the
forefront.
-Wow, the name of the dungeon is to try and attract bait lol -If the diam
onds
were taken away, won't Seong Jihan's stats disappear??
-No way he's gonna let that happen
-But if a lot of enem

ies come... ... .
Human viewers were happy at first when they saw the dungeon name but -
Are you fr?
-10 diam
onds?
-It's real.
-There are 10 diam

onds. It really exists!
Suddenly, viewers with star marks started flowing in like crazy.
-... ... Isn't this dangerous?
-There are so many extraterrestrial races here.
The viewers started to slowly worry.
and
thud! thud! thud!
The door to Seong Jihan's boss room opened.
Enemy races gathered in countless numbers, incomparable to before.
[There it is!! The real diam

ond!]
193
⦘
[Charge!!]
They start rushing towards the diam

onds fearing nothing.
"It's effective."
Seong Jihan took out the sword and the phoenix flag.
[W-what... ... .]
[This monster... ... !]
In one day, he surged up to 7th place in the rankings.
And then,
"There are 10 diam

onds...? I guess I should go see this."
Not only the invaders from the dungeon but also unexpected entities began
to take notice, earning Seong Jihan even more attention.
***
***
194
⦘
Chapter 216
***
***
After residing in the mid-boss room for 7 days, Seong Jihan continued to
fight against enem ies without logging out.
-Wow... still playing the game?
-Really been going for 7 continuous days
-I took a nap and you've risen to 2nd place?
-At this rate, isn't Seong Jihan going to collapse? ㅠㅠ
-Yet he seems too fresh for that...
-Seriously, he swept them away with one stroke again lol Those who
couldn't watch for the past 7 days slept and came back to the channel, com‐
fortably watching Seong Jihan's game, but...
-This opponent... is strong.
-No race so far has been able to block even one of his assaults...!
-We... we're raising the difficulty of the passage 'We have 20 diam
onds,' and
giving up on the strategy.
The extraterrestrial races gradually gave up on Seong Jihan's boss room

strategy, which was upgraded from 'We have 10 diam onds' to 20 diam
onds.
195
⦘
Understandably so.
"Have you come?"
Swish!
Every time Seong Jihan swung his spear, the races entering the mid-boss
room were split in half and disappeared.
Despite preparing powerful defense formations, the extraterrestrial races

couldn't block the single blow from Seong Jihan.
[We can't do this. Let's cooperate.]
[If we enter simultaneously, we won't be able to do anything about that little

guy...!]
The races that experienced Seong Jihan's strength first realized his power
and tried to coordinate with each other, but...
"They seem a bit more prepared this time."
Swoosh!
With his eagle eyes focused on the spear instead of a sword, Seong Jihan
shot out a barrage of attacks.
Zizijik......!
Unable to block that single blow, everyone was wiped out.
-... Jeez. This mid-boss seems to be the strongest.
-Artemus might be the only one who can handle him.
-We're withdrawing too. We can't get rewards whether it's 20 or 100 dia‐
monds.
-'Human' hideout player... I'll remember it.
196
⦘
Players who entered with their own preparations and plans were wiped out.
Losing the initiative, the extraterrestrial races gave up on Seong Jihan's pas‐
sage and left the chat room.
-Ah, the guests left......
-Where are you going? You have to keep attacking ㅠㅠ
-This attack seemed somewhat prepared, but it ended in one blow.
-Couldn't this cost us the first place?
Viewers watched as the extraterrestrial races left the chat, feeling disap‐
pointed.
But the universe was vast.
-A room with 20 diam

onds, I thought it was just a name, but it turned out to
be real...!
-Stats +100... There must be some trap, but we have to conquer it.
-Alone? What a Bold player!
-Is he trying to commit suicide?
An extraterrestrial race reconnaissance team, attracted by the highly aggro

public boss room.
-A position with no defense at all, yet ranking 2nd... they're not to be under‐
estimated.
-The score's growth rate is astronomical. Lots of players must've died here.
-But still, we have to secure the 20 diam

onds.
Unlike the initial reconnaissance team, the later ones, upon seeing Seong Ji‐
han now at rank 2, did not lower their guard, but still resolved to invade for
those 20 diam
onds.
197
⦘
-Oh, a guest has arrived. Another one-shot? ㅋㅋㅋ
-Let's not chat, They might flee in shock.
-Be careful, we can't have space guests quitting.
While viewers self-regulated their comments.
Rumble...
As the boss room opened,
[Real diam
onds!]
Unaware of Seong Jihan's power, new intruders entered without proper pre‐
cautions.
Most of them were larger-than-life monster races compared to Seong Jihan.
"Pleased to meet you."
Seong Jihan lightly moved his sword, slicing them to pieces.
[You have leveled up.]
He looked at the system message that appeared.
"Level... is it 241 now?"
He started at 215 and rapidly gained levels over the past 7 days.
Normally, in BattleNet games, the experience points settled after the game
ended were more significant, but Perhaps it was because this map was a
special dungeon.
Or maybe, because he eliminated so many invaders, the level-up speed was

quite fast.
'The gap with 1st place has significantly narrowed.'
198
⦘
Seong Jihan opened the scoreboard to check.
1st place -- Artemus Legion (Artemus) -- 322,140 [Public]
2nd place -- We have 20 diam

onds -- 287,220
It started with a difference of 190,000, but now it has narrowed down to

about 35,000.
If this pace continued, claiming the top rank seemed imminent.
"It seems the extraterrestrial races are weaker than expected."
As Seong Jihan said so, watching his opponents being unable to withstand a
single sweeping move, [...All those races were at least mid-to-upper tier. It's
just that the master is unbelievably strong.]
Ariel, who's become Seong Jihan's sword and dispatched the enemy in one
stroke, commented in a weary tone.
[What did you do to grow so much stronger? Your growth rate is truly as‐
tonishing.]
"Getting the Void was somewhat useful."
[The void... powerful indeed, but dangerously risky. It's better to avoid it for
the future.]
"Well, I'm not planning for the far future."
Despite knowing that void could limit his lifespan, he needed it right now to
prepare for the impending battle with the Marital God.
That was a concern for another time.
Then,
Rumble...
199
⦘
[Sick of it all.]
As the boss room door opened once more, Ariel mumbled as if tired of the
incessant visitors.
With the effective allure of 20 diam

onds, guests kept pouring in despite be‐
ing shattered by Seong Jihan's attacks.
"I'm getting used to it. There are only a few days left, so I should welcome
guests if they come."
The special dungeon that started in early February, entering mid-month

without starting the game.
The play deadline for this map was until the 24th.
Although the gap with the 1st place was quickly catching up due to the lure
of diam
onds, He still couldn't relax completely.
"Welcome~"
Seong Jihan greeted the enem

ies with a smiling face.
Then, from the opened door, various races poured out.
From large walking trees to fire-made elem

entals and small goblin-like
races.
Races that seemed difficult to mix were cooperating with each other.
"This time they're organized."
Originally, they were focused on the diam

onds, trying to go first.
The extraterrestrial races couldn't properly unite.
But this time, it was as if they were a team, and the order was well-orga‐
nized.
200
⦘
"But it's silent."
Usually, everyone would get passionate at the sight of stat diam

onds, shout‐
ing out loud.
The current coalition, however, was approaching Seong Jihan without utter‐
ing a word.
They didn't even glance at the shining diam

onds behind Seong Jihan.
They only revealed their hostility towards the boss of the mid-boss room.
'Something seems suspicious.'
Feeling something off about their behavior, Seong Jihan decided to quickly
eliminate them.
Zzzt...
A red current surged at the tip of the Phoenix Spear.
Nameless divine art, Fusion of Divine thunder and phoenix: Crimson Thun‐
der cannon The blast pierced the front ranks in an instant.
Chizzt...!
The opponent disappeared quickly, not even leaving a corpse.
However, even as they died, they didn't make a single groan.
'They seem like undead...'
Noticing the same reaction from various races, Seong Jihan expanded his
senses without relaxing his tension.
Then,
Suuu...
201
⦘
A subtle movement flowing above the dungeon's ceiling caught his senses.
It approached the location with diam

onds secretly and swiftly.
'I almost missed it.'
If the enemy's actions hadn't seemed suspicious, he might have missed the
movement.
Whoosh!
Seong Jihan quickly flew there and thrust his sword.
[Ugh...!]
The covert movement stopped, and a scream erupted.
Suuu...
From where the sword was thrust, red smoke emerged.
[You're a keen one...]
It soon formed a figure.
A woman with giant wings and horns.
Her face, to Seong Jihan,
-Oh...
-That woman. Could it be...?
-Ito Shizuru?
-she is alive??
No, it was a familiar face to all the viewers watching this game.
Ito Shizuru, who caused a great stir in 2020.
202
⦘
The stunning beauty who shook the world, and the woman appearing on the
screen now, were completely identical.
"You... Are you the Succubus Queen?"
"Hooh, how did you know that? Ah, you..."
As Seong Jihan recognized her, the Succubus Queen, who was surprised by
his knowledge, looked closely at him.
"That bastard who suppressed my avatar...!"
-Succubus Queen...?
-Why does she look exactly like Ito Shizuru?
-Wow, looking at her again, she's really beautiful...
-Her clothes are almost nonexistent, lol.😜
-That makes it even better, hehehe.😏
As the Succubus Queen appeared, the chat erupted into chaos. Most were
amazed by her resemblance to Ito Shizuru and praised her beauty. The chat
was filled with comments about her appearance.
Succubus Queen, who attempted to retrieve Ito Shizuru's soul, was sucked
into the 'Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods'.
'That wasn't her real body back then.'
Though 'Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods' is mighty, it seemed too easy for a be‐
ing called the Apostle of the Apocalypse to be subdued.
It must have been an avatar.
"What are you doing here?"
203
⦘
"Hehe. I was curious when I heard that a Hideout player was offering dia‐
monds."
"You're trying to steal the diam

onds, aren't you?"
"There was some intent to do that..."
The Succubus Queen didn't exactly deny it and looked at Seong Jihan with
a deep, enchanting gaze.
"Back then, I thought you were an interesting kid. I didn't expect you to
grow to the point of being assigned to Space 4. This level of growth means
we might be evenly matched..."
Flash!
With those words, her eyes turned pink,
and the already enchanting figure endeavored to display even greater pres‐
ence.
'Instant charm, huh...!'
Seong Jihan quickly operated his methods.
Nameless Divine Arts, Heart Method -- Mind Creates All In his past life,
the Heart Method played a significant role in suppressing the Succubus
Queen. Seong Jihan instantly released the charm and swung his sword at
her.
Zzzt!
The Succubus Queen's body was split in half.
"Heehee... good, good. I'm delighted by your resistance. It makes me want

you more."
Her body transformed into smoke and reformed, attaching the severed parts.
Once again, her pink eyes sparkled towards Seong Jihan.
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"Pleasure, arise."
Swoooosh...
Before her words could finish, a pink smoke emerged from the ground, in‐
tensifying the charm effect. It was a bewitching dance that amplified the al‐
lure.
Seong Jihan, who was using the Heart Method, furrowed his brows as he
witnessed this.
'It's... much stronger than in my previous life!'
It seemed that the Succubus Queen summoned to Earth in his previous life
wasn't complete. Although Seong Jihan's abilities had already surpassed his
past life, the charm effect continued to press on him.
'I can't just let this happen...'
Resisting the allure, Seong Jihan quickly thrust his sword into the ground.
Thunk!
Nameless Divine Arts, Annihilation God's Secret -- Myriad Ghost Sealing

Gods.
The pattern of Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods swiftly spread across the dun‐
geon floor.
"Could it be... the same as last time...?"
"Hurry up and get in."
"Wait a moment! Why is it getting so big!?"
Shooosh!
As the Succubus Queen's feet turned into smoke, she began to be drawn to‐
wards the pattern of the Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods.
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"Ugh... To think I'd be absorbed by such a trick...!"
Unlike her summoned avatar on Earth that faced its demise rather quickly,
the Queen resisted the Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods somewhat robustly,
"This... It's illogical! Isn't it cheating?"
Swooosh...
Gradually, her legs disappeared, leaving only the upper body struggling.
The Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods had an absolute effect on spirits, and even
the Succubus Queen couldn't withstand it for long.
"Ugh... I'm really being drawn in...!"
"Hmm, since it's the original body, I'll probab ly level up, right?"
"What? L...Level up?"
As the Succubus Queen grimaced, Seong Jihan confidently announced vic‐

tory while calmly awaiting leveling up.
[Wait...! Stop, Jihan. Please.]
In his ear, a familiar voice echoed.
No, it used to be familiar.
A voice that he couldn't hear anymore.
"...Noona?"
***
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***
207
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Chapter 217
***
***
[...Indeed, it's time to acknowledge it.]
Thud! Thud!
Before Seong Jihan's eyes, a woman petrified in a purple hue appeared.
She had a face very similar to Yoon seah.
It was a very familiar appearance to Seong Jihan.
[Your existence, which changed the future, is not an illusion.]
"...Noona, is that really you?"
Seong Jihan looked at her with a surprised expression as she moved freely
in her petrified state.
'Really, my noona... is really alive.'
Although he anticipated it by becoming the Witch of The Void after Yoon

Seah's Constellation Quest, The attire was exactly the same as the time she
had used her ultimate self-sacrifice as a priestess.
But her whole body was bound by five chains.
In the center of her chest.
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⦘
'A lock....'
A black lock was intertwined with the chains, locked.
'It's filled with the aura of the Void.'
As powerful as Seong Jihan was, being assigned to Space 4, he had no con‐

fidence in breaking such a lock, bursting with such a fierce aura.
While he was absorbed in examining the chains and lock.
Swoosh...
From the forehead of the petrified Seong Jiah, a bright white light flashed
and began to condense into a round mass.
The light eventually formed an eye of light.
Different from her stone eyes, the third eye wriggled like a real pupil.
"That is..."
[I've cut off outside observation for now.]
"Are you speaking of BattleTube?"
[Yes. Ordinary people would turn to stone at the mere sight of me.]
"I'm fine though."
[You're not an ordinary person, are you?]
With that, Seong Jiah pointed downwards.
[Can you release her for now?]
"Hmm. Do we really need to keep her alive? After all, the woman who en‐
chanted brother-in-law got the powers from her."
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Bang!
Following his words, Seong Jiah kicked the succubus in the head.
"Ah! You... did you really hit me?!"
[Do you want to die?]
"Oh, no... You can hit me more. Witch. Kick me as much as you want."
The succubus queen immediately bowed her head, and Seong Jiah kicked
her head once more.
"This..Actually... hurts..."
[It was Shizuru and Yoon Sejin who erred. We can't fully blame the woman
who gave the powers. Besides, she's the head of the Palace of Desire. If she
disappears now, a major chaos will ensue.]
"Hmm. Chaos."
[All the succubi and incubi will vie for the suddenly vacant throne. Earth is
a planet weak to temptation. It will surely be the first to suffer. It's fated for
destruction, but we can't let Seah be harmed before that...]
Thump!
Hearing this, Seong Jihan drew out his sword stuck in the ground.
Upon which, the half-bodied succubus queen's body quickly regenerated.
"Ugh... you're the witch's brother?"
"Yes."
"Should've known. A monster at a different caliber. If you're like a witch,

yes. If you're from the 'chosen' bloodline...."
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The succubus queen, who was saying something significant, winked at

Seong Jihan.
"You are more tempting than I thought. Would you like to live with me in
the Palace of Desire? If I conceive your child, an incredible being might be
born...."
Bang!
Seong Jiah struck the succubus queen even harder than before this time.
Whoosh!
As the petrified foot brushed against the queen's waist, her body disap‐
peared entirely.
[Get away from my brother..]
"W-Witch. Why are you doing this? I should be an acceptable companion

for your brother, right?"
[If you don't disappear right now from my sight, I'll kill you, regardless if
the Palace of Desire turns into chaos or not.]
"Ah, I got it!"
The Succubus Queen turned her back swiftly under Seong Jiah's menacing
aura.
Nevertheless,
"You gained two more chains. What are you scheming?"
[None of your business.]
"Hmph... quite stubborn. You're even gruff when I worry about you."
After glancing at Jiah's chains, the succubus queen added one more word
before disappearing.
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"Chains... are they bad?"
[I've used some power. It's inevitable.]
"Should I break them? Seems like I could if I go all out."
[No, never touch them. They're far too dangerous.]
Why would she be carrying such things around?
Seong Jihan had such thoughts, but for now, he decided to respect her
wishes.
'Anyway, Noona, she's much stronger than I thought.'
The succubus queen's main body was a quite powerful existence.
Seong Jihan managed to subdue her easily because he possessed the Myriad
Ghost Sealing Gods, but without it, it would have been a challenge.
Yet Seong Jiah dealt with the succubus queen effortlessly with a mere kick.
It was beyond Seong Jihan's comprehension just how strong she had be‐
come.
Seong Jihan briefly watched where the succubus queen had vanished, then
asked her.
"But what's this about a chosen Bloodline?"
[...It's too complicated to explain now. In short, a being like me, who's
likely to embrace the void.]
"The Void? Why us?"
Seong Jihan wondered, his family was just an ordinary Korean household.
Why did he suddenly become the chosen one?
Was there a secret about the hidden bloodline?
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[I don't know either. Our parents were regular people.]
"Hmm..."
[But more importantly, Jihan. I can't stay here for long, so let me get to the
point quickly.]
Flash! Flash!
The third eye emitted even brighter light, focusing on Seong Jihan.
[Void Stat. Don't raise it anymore.]
"Why?"
[I'm going to save you and Seah from destruction. But if your void powers
are too strong, you can't enter the sanctuary.]
Zzzzzing!
With that, a blue hologram materialized in front of Seong Jiah.
The sanctuary, consisting of circular modules, looked small enough to ac‐

commodate only one or two people at a glance.
[Through this, I will send both of you to another planet. A planet where a
similar humanoid species lives... Even so, it should be suitable for settling.]
'Looks like I've been excluded from the salvation list.'
Seong Jihan sighed and asked her.
"Destruction? Isn't humanity smoothly sailing in BattleNet now?"
[Because you led the opening match to victory, that was a momentary illu‐
sion. The Apostle of the End is already convinced of humanity's destruction
and is preparing for it.]
With that, Jiah looked towards the entrance of the mid-boss room.
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[How were the races that broke in a little while ago?]
"It was easy."
[...Don't use you as a benchmark. Compare the extraterrestrial races with

humans, not you.]
"If we compare them as a whole? Most of the races invading are much
stronger than humans."
The races infiltrating the Hell Devil Palace.
Even the weakest among them, from Ariel's perspective, were at least inter‐
mediate level.
While Jihan could defeat them with a single shot, each of them had their
own strengths.
All of them far exceeded the basic specs of humans.
[That's right. Originally, humans should not be invited to the BattleNet. The
individual combat power is too low for that.]
"But why were we invited then?"
[I don't know... But one thing is certain. Humans can't overcome the Space
League.]
Seong Jihan nodded his head.
The extinction of humanity.
Wasn't that a future he had experienced in his previous life?
However,
"As long as I'm with them, it won't happen. I'm affiliated with humans, so
there won't be such a thing."
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⦘
[...Since when did my little brother become so confident?]
"It's been a while."
[Haa... Hey, seriously. Listen to your Noona!]
Seong Jihan chuckled and changed the subject.
"As for me, it's fine. But how can we return you to your original state?"
[Me? As a witch of the Void... I can't return to my original state.]
"Noona, you know you slightly avoided my gaze just now? It's a habit when
you lie."
[...Since it's an impossible task anyway.]
"What's the method then? Breaking the chains? Or maybe... eliminating the
master of the Abyss?"
[You! Don't even dream about that. If you touch him, you'll only accelerate
the inevitable destruction!]
Ssssss...
Seong Jiah repeatedly emphasized, her figure fading.
[...Remember my advice. Never... raise the Void. Don't touch the Abyss ei‐
ther until I save you both.]
With those words, Seong Jiah disappeared.
With the disappearance of the purple barrier, the viewers' chats began to roll
in.
-Oh, the screen is back!
-There's lag on BattleTube too, huh?
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⦘
-It's not lag, the screen is just blocked, I guess?
-What happened?
People who had been watching Seong Jihan's channel for a long time casu‐
ally brushed it off as something that sometimes happened.
-...A powerful entity intervened.
-The investigation team couldn't observe it. What happened?
-And the Succubus Queen was subdued so easily? Who exactly was that?
-I have 20 diam
onds. I shouldn't attempt to conquer this place...
-We're withdrawing.
The extraterrestrial investigation team that had entered Seong Jihan's chan‐
nel couldn't help but be amazed by this phenomen on.
-Ah, extraterrestrial guests are leaving in droves; -Is it that big of a deal if
the screen gets blocked?
-Seems like it lolol
-Just because they are acting like this, I'm curious about what happened.
As people wondered, the extraterrestrial investigation team left the chat

room in a flash.
And, as much as they left, the frequency of the mid-boss room's door open‐
ing also decreased.
-Now the gap with first place won't close.
-What do we do... ㅠㅠ
-Just wait, new visitors will come in.
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⦘
-No, if you wait a bit, more suckers will come in.
-It's a short break ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
While viewers chattered about the sudden departure of the extraterrestrial

investigation team, Seong Jihan recalled the recent events.
'Noona is definitely alive.'
Even though she was in the form of a powerful petrified statue rather than
her priestess appearance, she was alive somewhere.
'Refuge, huh...'
Until recently, Seong Jiah dismissed him and Yoon Seah as illusions, yet se‐
cretly prepared an escape for them.
While Seong Jihan thought his noona was admirable, he had a negative
view of her intentions.
'Even if humanity is destroyed and Seah and I survive, would it have any
meaning?'
[Demon God:- Main Character moment🤣]
Listening to Seong Jiah, it seemed like the refuge was limited to sending the
two of them somewhere.
Even if they went to another planet, what would they do among these differ‐
ent races?
'Looks like I won't be listening to my Noona this time, either.'
Seong Jihan erased the possibility of escape from his mind and decided to
focus on battling on BattleNet as he is now.
And...
'The next target is the Abyss.'
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⦘
Let's do what she told me not to do again.
He smirked mischievously.
Special Dungeon Game, the last day.
"It's quiet with visitors."
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Seong Jihan yawned, spinning his spear.
After Seong Jiah visited, the frequency of extraterrestrial visitors decreased

due to some rumor circulating.
-You're still first though?
-True, but with a 20,000 point difference, you'll solidify it, right?
-Oh, and have you heard the news? We just won the Taiwan match~
"We won the Taiwan match? I was sorry I couldn't participate because of
this map, but it worked out well."
National team matches held two or three times a month.
Seong Jihan would participate in almost all of them, when possible how‐
ever, his absence from the special dungeon map, where monsters could be
summoned, was unavoidable.
-It's alright. With the Sword King around, there's no need to worry about a
match with Taiwan .
However, the relatively weak Taiwanese team,
Coach Noh Youngjun even visited the chat to tell Seong Jihan to not worry
and focus on his game.
218
⦘
-Still, I was worried when that insane old man won the first game single-
handedly, lol -I thought so too... He was really strong
-Still, he only came out for one match and didn't come out again.
-Yep, Taiwanese media reported that the old man fainted after one game lol
-The Sword King wanted to face him, and regretted that he collapsed.
-It's fortunate from the Korean perspective.
During the Taiwan match without Seong Jihan, something remarkable

seemed to have happened.
Korean viewers were abuzz about the "Taiwanese Old man."
'Old man? Was there a powerful player among the elderly...?'
Gifts were given randomly, but the number given differed significantly de‐
pending on age.
Especially for those over 60, the amount was almost non-existent.
In Seong Jihan's memory, there were almost no outstanding elderly players.
Especially in the Asian region, there was not a single one...
'I should watch the match later.'
While Seong Jihan was showing interest in a player who was not in his
memory, the boss room door that had been closed for a while began to
open.
Rumble...
-The guest is finally here!
-Why did you take so long to come?
Viewers welcomed the invader,
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⦘
Everyone looked at the door, wondering which race would be cut down in
one blow this time.
[From now on, this legion takes over here!]
-Huh?
-Why are they coming out here?
The Artemus Legion, which slipped to second place because of Seong Ji‐
han, revealed themselves at the entrance.
***
***
220
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Chapter 218
***
***
'How did the Artemus Legion get here?'
Is it possible for other mid-boss rooms to invade other rooms as well?
Seong Jihan, with a puzzled expression, opened the scoreboard as he ob‐

served the Dwarf Legion.
The Artemus Legion, now in second place, just behind the Seong Jihan, still
had disclosed information.
He examined the opposing boss' room invaders.
[Artemus Legion, annihilate the enemy!]
The Dwarf Legion, engaged in battle with the enem ies as usual, appeared to
have the same numbers as before. The situation didn't seem like the boss
room was under attack.
'Looks like I'll have to capture and interrogate them.'
Seong Jihan easily drew his sword across horizontally.
Swish!
Instantly, the Dwarf Legion was split in half. Their hammers, spears, and
various weapons were all cleaved in a single strike.
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⦘
-The Artemus Legion used to be first place... I was expecting something dif‐
ferent.'
-The guests this time aren't very impressive either, are they?'
-Seong Jihan is solidifying his first-place position~'
The viewers are optimistic about the situation when...
Swoosh...
The bodies of the split Dwarf Legion instantly regenerated. Not only the
dwarves but also the weapons were restored.
They resumed the battle in the same combat stance, shouting, [Artemus Le‐
gion, annihilate the enemy!]
The Artemus Legion advanced in unison. Their momentum wasn't excep‐

tionally strong compared to the enem
ies who had attacked Seong Jihans
mid-boss room so far.
Shick!
Even after Seong Jihan's sword struck them several times, they regenerated
and rushed at him again.
'These guys didn't earn first place for nothing.'
Players belonging to the same Space 4. They were not to be underestimated.
Seong Jihan used the Total Annihilation Horizontal Sweep while carefully
observing the enemy's regeneration.
Unlike the monstrous regeneration of the elves, these enem

ies seemed to
function differently.
Especially.
'The weapons are suspicious.'
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⦘
The restoration order was different from the dwarves; the weapons came
first before the dwarves.
Seong Jihan reached out with his hand.
Swoosh...
A small black vortex formed, sucking up all the weapons of the dwarf van‐
guard.
'About S-rank in quality.'
Perhaps because dwarves used these weapons, the sizes were like toys.
However, the quality itself was not bad.
It couldn't be compared to Eclipse or Phoenix Flag, but they were reason‐

ably S-rank.
He concentrated on examining the weapons and then lit up his eyes.
'There's a peculiar aura hidden inside.'
In terms of attributes, it was close to light. A faint aura was hidden inside
the weapon, around the handle area.
Although he had gathered various auras until now, this kind was new, espe‐
cially for light attributes.
Shuuuu...
A palm-sized black vortex formed, absorbing all the light aura from the
weapons.
Then,
[Artemus Legion...]
The dwarves who robustly cheered for the Artemus Legion stopped moving,
standing still in place as if the machine had halted its function.
223
⦘
Seong Jihan, facing the vanguard unit in that state, once again swung his
sword horizontally.
Swish!
Shwaaak!
The Dwarf Legion, split in half and falling to the ground. Unlike before,
these turned into light without showcasing remarkable regeneration,
writhing on the ground and disappearing.
'Indeed, this hidden light aura and regenerative effect were related.'
Well then, let's delve deeper into this unfamiliar aura.
Seong Jihan wanted to create an even larger Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods,
but...
The Artemus Legion that had been charging at him was already retreating
towards the entrance.
"Where do you think you're going?"
They might enter on their own accord, but leaving isn't up to them.
Seong Jihan's hand moved to obtain the light energy when.
Swoosh...
The weapons and armor of the dwarf legion floated in the air, starting to
cluster together wildly.
Clunk! Clunk!
Hundreds, thousands of gears clumped in an instant. What took shape was...
A massive steel giant glistening white with light from various angles.
-A robot?
224
⦘
-Even combined robots are coming out
-Is this the true form of Artemus?
-I felt there was something, but the weapons were the main body...
-We didn't realize in the public video, but now that it's in front of Seong Ji‐
han, its true nature is revealed.
Viewing this, the audience recalled the image of a combined robot.
Unlike the typical steel giant, this one was decorated rather eleg antly.
[In Space 4, a super rookie has appeared.]
"Are you Artemus?"
[Yes.]
Zzzing...
A burst of white light erupted from Artemus's chest, and all the dwarves
were instantly sucked into it.
Then, the body of Artemus sparkled even more.
'Quite a force.'
Even as the Seong Jihan, he felt a formidable power that couldn't be ig‐
nored. With this level of opponent, it wouldn't be easy to eliminate them in
one blow.
Zzzt...
As the Seong Jihan properly prepared for the battle against Artemus, raising
his power.
[Wait. I have no intention of fighting.]
225
⦘
Clank!
The amalgamated steel giant spread its palm, indicating that it had no inten‐
tion to fight.
"I do."
With that, Seong Jihan intensified his aura even further.
The light aura possessed by the giant was something he had never seen be‐
fore, sparking his curiosity.
Zzzzzing...
As red currents emanated from Seong Jihan's body, he felt the urge to col‐
lect this unfamiliar energy.
Zzzzzing...
As Seong Jihan prepared for battle, raising his power, Artemus shook its
hands, signaling a lack of intent to fight.
[Not battle! Negotiate. I want to negotiate, Hideout player.]
"Negotiation?"
[Yes. In the 1st place reward of this special dungeon, if Hellfire Crystals
come out, sell them to me.]
"Sell them? I don't need GP."
[No need for GP... must be nice to have money. Fine then.]
Swoosh!
Artemus pointed at the Phoenix Flag in Seong Jihan's hand with his finger
and blinked.
[Then, instead of GP, I will upgrade your weapon.]
226
⦘
-He seems desperate not to fight, even though he looks like a giant monster
ready to battle.
LOL, maybe he got scared.
-What's this about weapon upgrade? Isn't the Phoenix Flag SSS-grade?
-Exactly lolol
While viewers mocked Artemus for desperately avoiding combat, others ex‐
pressed surprise.
-Artemus is not only revealing its true form but also offering a weapon up‐
grade...
-Upgrade weapon?
-What's the Hellfire Crystal, and why does Artemus want it?
The extraterrestrial race remaining in Seong Jihan's channel reacted with

great astonishment.
Seong Jihan glanced at the chat and eased his momentum.
"If it's SSS-rank, will you make it into EX?"
[No. Even if I were the best blacksmith in the universe, that would be im‐
possible. But I can enhance it.]
"Hmm."
[That spear, you attached an intangible weapon to it, right?]
"You've got a keen eye. That's correct."
[In my view, it's not completely harmonized yet. With a little touch, its per‐
formance will greatly improve.]
227
⦘
The upgraded Phoenix Flag combined with the Divine thunder. Recogniz‐
ing it at a glance, it didn't seem like the work of an amateur.
[Hellfire Crystal is what I need as the best blacksmith. It won't be useful for
you. Isn't this a good deal for you?]
"Well, whether it's useful for me or not, I'll have to try it out after receiving
the item."
[Hmm... then, I'll give you two more Artemus's Blacksmith Workshop
vouchers for the upgrade.]
-Blacksmith Workshop vouchers too?
-Artemus... is that serious about the crystal!
-Our race doesn't have any crystals... too bad!
The extraterrestrial race chatted excitedly about Artemus's earnestness.
-What are these aliens talking about? LOL.
-Let's learn a bit from them -_-.
-They're just having fun among themselves. LOL.
-Is Artemus some kind of a skilled blacksmith?
Viewers were able to guess Artemus's standing as a craftsman from their re‐
actions.
"Hmm... I'll think about it."
[Don't think too much... the crystal will be useless for you! How about co‐
operating with a fellow small race?]
"A small race?"
228
⦘
[Yes! I watched your channel, and you seem to be of human origin. You
know, a lower-tier race compared to our Dwarves?]
"You were a Dwarf?"
[That's right.]
-They were Dwarves, these guys?
-Fantasy races are all coming out.
-But why do these guys always call us the lowest of the low?
-On BattleNet, it does seem like we are the lowest of the low, but LOL, now
it's like a monster feast in Space League.
-Even the combined robot looks like it will just get beaten if another player
tries to fight it, LOL.
'Calling us the lowest of the low, they don't seem like monsters like elves,
but...'
Still, the Dwarves had their peculiarities.
It seemed like their bodies and weapons would regenerate as if time had re‐
versed.
Considering the weapon was the actual core, and it had even become a
combined robot.
'Wait, is this Artemus's characteristic?'
As Seong Jihan cautiously observed Artemus, he said, [Oh, right. Did you
also stay on BattleNet to improve your race? In that case, as a senior, I can
give you advice. There's an optimal route for what options to buy for the
lowest-tier races.]
Whether out of a sense of kinship due to being from a weaker race, the talk‐
ative giant robot seemed somewhat amiable.
229
⦘
However, Seong Jihan caught on to something else in Artemus's words.
"...You stayed on BattleNet?"
[Yes. I couldn't give up the benef its.]
"How can you leave?"
[...Don't they give you the option after winning three times in the Bronze
League? You should know if you've won at least once.]
-Really?
-Three wins and you're free?
-Oh... robots are useful.
-He's revealing so much valuable information.
-But wouldn't it be regrettable if BattleNet disappeared? We're living for the

thrill of watching this, LOL.
-Oh my? What if dungeons appear in front of our homes?
The chat exploded upon hearing the conditions for liberation from Bat‐
tleNet.
Seong Jihan was also secretly surprised, but he didn't show it on his face
and casually said, "I'd have to win to know."
[You... don't tell me... a rookie? Impossible. There's a player from Space 4
who's a newbie?]
Artemus shook its head in disbelief and then.
Zzzing!
Laser beams shot from the giant robot's eyes, and a huge screen appeared in
the air.
230
⦘
From there, unreadable characters emerged.
[Oh, it's true. A new race has been added to BattleNet betting... The evalua‐
tion says that they will be eliminated.]
"Are you looking at the betting site report?"
[Yes. Hmm... you're not just a Super Rookie. You are a divine being... des‐
tined to shine even more brightly among the constellations...]
Swoosh!
Artemus flicked three fingers.]
[Alright. Then, I'll give you three blacksmith workshop vouchers! Although
it's regrettable for the Hellfire Crystal, I'll support the hope of the lower-tier
race!]
With an incredibly bitter tone, Artemus spoke, supporting the giant robot's
story.
This deal seemed acceptable.
While Seong Jihan was pondering for a moment.
[Master, may I also inquire if it's possible for me?]
"Enhancement?"
Ariel, who had been silent in the form of the Shadow Eclipse, spoke.
[Indeed. If the Eclipse is enhanced further, it will produce remarkable re‐

sults.]
Asking wasn't difficult.
Seong Jihan showed Artemus the sword and asked, "Can this sword be en‐
hanced?"
231
⦘
[This is the Shadow Sword...]
--- Zzzing.
Laser beams scanned the shadow sword after emerging from Artemus's
gaze.
[Such abundant authority of the Shadow is in here. Your sponsor constella‐

tion is Shadow Queen, ain't she?]
"No."
[Not even from the sponsor constellation, yet you've been given so much
authority? Odd... Enhancement won't be easy. Unless you have part of the
Shadow Queen herself, perhaps a finger.]
"What do you need a finger or body part for?"
[The Shadow Queen is the essence of shadow. Even a hair would be a good
material... Anyway, I need at least one finger to evolve further.]
This was a barbaric method, to put a finger in the weapon's evolution.
[Even the Queen should be able to do that. She says it's possible.]
"...You're giving a finger?"
[If it regenerates, it's fine, isn't it?]
Ariel spoke confidently, perhaps hinting towards something more.
'Could she... actually be the queen?'
Despite Ariel's assertive attitude regarding the severing of a finger...
Seong Jihan looked at the sword suspiciously.
***
232
⦘
***
233
⦘
Chapter 219
***
***
Seong Jihan had always harbored some suspicions.
Ariel, who had transformed into a shadow sword, seemed to know too
much about the Shadow Queen and the internal affairs to just be a Shadow
Elf.
Seong Jihan asked her straightforwardly.
"Are you the Shadow Queen?"
[...No.]
"But how can you be so sure the queen would give up a finger?"
[A finger to a Shadow Elf is really nothing serious; it regenerates quickly.

As a loyal servant of the Queen, she will definitely listen to me if I speak.]
"Is a finger of no great value to a Shadow Elf?"
When Seong Jihan looked toward Artemus with this question, he replied.
[Shadow Elves, being a derivation of Elves, do have excellent regenerative

abilities. But even for the Queen, obtaining the essence of shadow energy
through a finger wouldn't be without cost. We need more than just a shell. It
must contain the essence of shadow energy.]
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"So that's what you're saying?"
[...The Queen has taken a great interest in you and Eclipse. Such an invest‐
ment is certainly within her means. And I really am not the Shadow
Queen!]
"Hmm..."
Seong Jihan looked suspiciously at his left hand but decided to let it go for
now, considering the vigorous denials.
"Let's just watch and see, 'Your Majesty'."
[Ha... That's so unfair. I would actually prefer to be the Queen! Why would
the Queen herself be inside such a sword?]
"Exactly. Why are you in there, Your Majesty?"
[I told you, I'm not!]
Ariel reacted, jumping.
Seong Jihan chuckled, then spoke to Artemus.
"I'll try to acquire the Queen's finger."
[Really? If that's fulfilled, I can indeed enhance the sword.]
"Got it."
[Then, the negotiation is concluded.]
Flash! Flash!
With an eruption of light from Artemus's body, he shrunk rapidly.
A small, palm-sized white horn materialized in front of Seong Jihan.
[Once you obtain the stone, blow this horn. I will invite you to my forge.]
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⦘
"Good. And about your light energy. That's quite peculiar -- any way to ob‐
tain it?"
[...Ha! Greedy one, aren't you? My forge overflows with what you refer to
as 'light energy.' Just bring me the crystal. I don't mind if you take some.]
"Hmm, for now..."
[Then, we shall meet again.]
Clunk! Clunk!
With those final words, Artemus disassembled and disappeared from the
mid boss room in an instant.
'He left quickly.'
The peculiar light power he had encountered for the first time. Although it
was worth analyzing, the opponent retreated without looking back as soon
as the negotiation was completed. Perhaps he was anxious about having the
light power stolen if he stayed longer.
'I'll have to get the crystal.'
As Seong Jihan thought this,
Rumble...
[Is this where the diam

onds are!]
[Difficult, they say? We're ready for it!]
The door to the mid boss room opened, and extraterrestrial visitors began to
arrive again.
I'll have to finish the game at first place.
"Let's go. 'Your Majesty'."
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⦘
[...Ha. Call me as you wish.]
In his place, Saint drew Eclipse and stood his ground.
Swish!
Then, the invaders split up simultaneously.
-As expected, with one strike...
-Artemus held out well.
-And the guests now feel even weaker, don't they?
-For real, only the weak ones are coming now.
It seemed that in the middle of the game, powerful races had invaded.
But as Seong Jihan consistently delivered one-hit kills, only the weak ones
dared to invade as the game approached its end.
And as these enem

ies, too, were swept away in one strike.
-Wow, no more guests coming...
-Artemus and the score are starting to get closer, 2,000 points narrowed
down -Earlier, killing Artemus's dwarves didn't count towards the score.
-Is it because the combined robot is the main body? Too bad.
Seong Jihan's mid-boss room was now completely deserted.
'It's fortunate that today is the last day.'
If he hadn't attracted aggro with the diam

ond in the early-mid game, he
might have allowed a comeback towards the end.
[Special Dungeon, 'Boss Election' is now closed.]
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⦘
[Player 'Seong Jihan' secures the 1st place in the Boss Election.]
With a gap of 15,000 points, Seong Jihanwas able to conclude the game on
the last day.
[For the next month, player 'Seong Jihan' will randomly appear as a Hidden
Boss in the Diam
ond League dungeon maps.]
[The player is in hideout state.]
[Hidden Boss's name is displayed as ??]
Following this, Seong Jihan was given the status window of a Hidden Boss.
[Hidden Boss: Seong Jihan]
[Trait: One-shot Kill]
[Skills Used: Total Annihilation Horizontal Sweep, Myriad Ghost Sealing

Gods, Crimson thunder cannon]
[Attack Power: EX]
[Defense Power: A]
[Vitality: F]
[Difficulty Level: Highest]
[Boss Information: A supernova that entered Space 4 immediately after the

tutorial ended. Possessing overwhelming attack power that can behead all
opponents in a single strike. Although his HP is weak due to the limitations
of a lower-tier race, it is not a significant problem as he does not allow op‐
ponents to attack him.]
[Defeat Reward: 5 Stat Diam

onds]
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⦘
'Only three skills, huh? Maybe because those are the ones used in dun‐
geons.'
Probab ly because most enem

ies were finished off with Total Annihilation
Horizontal Sweep.
And if any stronger came along, I used Crimson thunder cannon or pulled
them in with Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods to inspect them.
The Hidden Boss Seong Jihan's known skills were limited to these three.
'Attack power EX is expected... but vitality of F, that's a bit harsh.'
Since many alien races could quickly regenerate even severed limbs and ap‐
pendages, Seong Jihan, as a human, was harshly graded on vitality.
Perhaps the A-level defense power was due to being able to use Myriad
Ghost Sealing Gods defensively as well.
'But with such a good defeat reward, he might attract a lot of enem
ies.'
Seong Jihan, who had lured enem ies with stat diam
onds, would now have
his Hidden Boss avatar provide amazing rewards upon being defeated.
Even with sinking will at the sight of Attack Power EX.
The sight of stat diam

onds was bound to rekindle the conquest spirit again.
'Now this guy will earn me experience points and GP.'
Hidden because of the Hideout, his face covered by a black shadow.
For the next month, Seong Jihan's avatar would deliver rewards.
Then.
[You've broken the Special Dungeon's historical score records.]
[You can further strengthen the Hidden Boss.]
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⦘
Perhaps because of the record-breaking score Seong Jihan earned, An op‐

tion popped up, allowing for additional enhancement of the boss.
[Enhance Hidden Boss stats]
[Increase Hidden Boss appearance rate]
Two simple options were presented before him.
'Obviously, the latter.' Seong Jihan instantly chose to increase the appear‐
ance rate.
A Hidden Boss with Attack Power EX.
Becoming stronger might discourage players from challenging.
It's better to appear frequently in dungeons and defeat more challengers,

earning experience points and GP for Seong Jihan.
[The Hidden Boss 'Seong Jihan' is enhanced....]
[A Hidden Boss 'Seong Jihan' will now appear more frequently in the Bat‐
tleNet of many races.]
The Hidden Boss was enhanced as per Seong Jihan's will.
Though the rewards didn't end there.
[A special reward from Hell Devil Palace will be given. You can choose one
of the following items.]
[Rare Stat 'Hellfire' (Owned)]
[Hell Devil Palace Crystal]
[High Demon's Armor]
'Special rewards... nothing of too much use.' If Seong Jihan hadn't received
the crystal-related request from Artemus, he would have been forced to
240
⦘
choose the High Demon's armor among the three.
Of course, this armor, with an SS grade, didn't look bad, But for Seong Ji‐
han, who usually didn't wear armor, it wasn't an enticing option.
As he went to choose the crystal from Hell Devil Palace, [The manager of
Hell Devil Palace, 'Succubus Queen', shows deep interest in the player.]
[She adds 'Palace of Pleasure Invitation' to the Hell Devil Palace reward
with her authority.]
'Palace of Pleasure Invitation' was added to the bottom of the special re‐
wards list.
Unlike the other items, this one was highlighted in shiny gold.
'I don't need this.'
However, Seong Jihan ignored this and immediately selected the crystal
from Hell Devil Palace.
[You have acquired the Hell Devil Palace Crystal.]
More than the invitation to the Palace of Pleasure, upgrading the weapon
was the priority.
[You have cleared an Epic Quest.]
[You have earned 10,000,000 achievement points.]
[You have obtained a treasure chest from Hell Devil Palace.]
After selecting the special reward, an Epic Quest reward was also given.
'Truly a windfall of rewards.'
After gratefully accepting the achievement points, Seong Jihan opened the
treasure chest from Hell Devil Palace.
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⦘
Then,
[You have received the 'Palace of Pleasure Invitation'.]
"Ha."
The reward he had just ignored popped out of the treasure chest.
Was this some prank by the Succubus Queen?
"An invitation to the Palace of Pleasure, huh... Just my bad luck to get
something like this."
Should I just tear it up?
As Seong Jihan was seriously considering this,
[Invitation to the Palace of Pleasure? Master, That's very valuable.]
"Really?"
[Yes. The Pleasure Palace... a place where the pleasures of the entire uni‐
verse are concentrated. It's a place where even the major forces in the uni‐
verse can't go easily. If you put it up for auction, it will sell for a high
price.]
"Oh..."
Ariel quickly provided him with information upon hearing this.
"You sure know a lot, 'Your Majesty'."
[...Should I just stay quiet from now on?]
"Got it. I won't call you 'Your Majesty' again."
I'll leave this whole 'Your Majesty' treatment for later.
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⦘
With that thought, Seong Jihan searched the price of the Palace of Pleasure
Invitations on the BattleNet auction house.
The price that came up was.
"...100 billion GP?"
The figure far exceeded his expectations.
"Why is it so expensive?"
[Even with 100 billion GP, it's still relatively cheap. Perhaps some of the
major figures addicted to the Pleasure Palace went bankrupt.]
"And this is considered cheap?"
[Indeed. It could have been a big problem if you had torn it, right?]
Seong Jihan nodded in agreement.
100 billion GP for such an item.
The universe is indeed vast.
As Seong Jihan listed the item at that price,
"Wow, it sold immediately."
In an instant, a tremendous amount of 100 billion GP came in, excluding

the fees.
'Now I really don't have to worry about money.'
Although he had already reached a certain level of affluence regarding his

wealth, with an additional 100 billion GP, he no longer needed to concern
himself with finances.
'If there's anything to buy at Artemus's blacksmith, I should use this money.'
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⦘
With that thought, Seong Jihan asked Ariel.
"When can I get the Queen's finger?"
[First, log out. Only then can I contact the Queen.]
Your Majesty will contact herself?
Seong Jihan wanted to blurt that out, but considering he had just earned 100
billion GP, he decided to hold back and endure a few more days.
After all, the invitation almost faced a disastrous fate of being torn apart; he
could delay addressing the Queen with her title.
With that conclusion, Seong Jihan finished his time in the Special Dungeon
map.
[For the next month, a hidden boss will appear in the dungeon maps.]
From then on, the world would witness the arrival of the hidden boss,
Seong Jihan.
-Wow... our party got wiped out again...
-Why... is even the NPC so strong?
-I wish Seong Jihan wouldn't appear! Why does this Hidden Boss show up
so frequently!
Seong Jihan, with the title of a hidden boss, kept popping up like crazy.
Ever since Seong Jihan entered the special dungeon map, The Diam
ond
League players on Earth were experiencing a kind of epidemic.
The title 'Hidden Boss' was an understatement as Seong Jihan just kept pop‐
ping up unexpectedly.
244
⦘
Every time he swung his sword, players attempting to conquer the dungeon
were all mercilessly cut down.
"Uncle... I just got killed by you."
Meanwhile, Yoon Seah, who had logged out of BattleNet, glared at Seong
Jihan fiercely.
"Why are you so strong, seriously?"
"Well... should have just stayed in the veil of void."
"I can't just stay there forever. I stepped out, only to be slashed across by a
sword."
"Sorry about that. But think of it this way---I gave Uncle experience points
and GP. It should be somewhat comforting, right?"
"That's not at all comforting."
While saying this, Yoon Seah checked the Diam

ond Leaguers' forum.
Everyone was complaining that their levels dropped because of the hidden
boss, Seong Jihan.
"But it seems there are still some who want to defeat you, they're even cre‐
ating strategies."
"The benef its of stat diam

onds are just too good. Hmm. But... Can I defeat
myself?"
"Ooh. Maybe you can since you're the original. Still, team up with me!"
If she could secure a diam

ond reward from her uncle, that would be perfect.
Seong Jihan promptly tried to party up with Yoon Seah and play the game,
but...
245
⦘
[If player 'Seong Jihan' is in your team, you will not encounter Hidden Boss
'Seong Jihan'.]
Unfortunately, the BattleNet system prevented that attempt.
"Too bad. I wanted to fight myself once."
Reading the message, Seong Jihan disbanded the party.
"Since you're playing, why not play together?"
"I'm waiting for Ariel to bring the Shadow Queen's finger so we can go to
the forge."
"Ah, Uncle. If there's a good bow, buy it for me. Hehe."
"Sure. I'll look around and buy one for you."
With the 100 billion GP earned, buying a bow for Yoon Seah was absolutely
manageable.
When Seong Jihan readily agreed,
Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
The wall-mounted tablet rang with the bell sound.
[Master! Please, I need to see your face! There's a pile of guild work that
needs to be sorted out!]
Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
As the guild master Lee Hayeon frantically pressed the bell, Her face was
racked with fatigue.
"Hmm... I left the work to her. What else needs to be sorted out?"
"Uncle... Hayeon Unnie is going crazy from the workload, she's on the
verge of almost quitting."
246
⦘
"Really?"
Lee Hayeon quitting would be problematic.
Seong Jihan quickly rose from the couch.
"Alright. I'll head down to the guild."
***
***
247
⦘
Chapter 220
***
***
In the guild office of the Sword Palace.
"It's really been a long time since I've seen you, Boss."
Lee Hayeon, with dark circles heavily under her eyes, greeted Seong Jihan
with a tired face.
"Since you're here, I'll leave early today..."
"Sure. Go rest too, Gayeong."
"Yes......"
With documents in hand, Lim Gayeong, also worn out, opened the door to
the lounge next to the guild master's office and collapsed onto the bed in‐
side.
'Is it okay for a bodyguard to be like this?'
Seong Jihan looked incredulously towards the resting room, whose door
had not been shut.
However, Lee Hayeon defended her.
"Gayeong stayed up for me for a few nights. Boss, please understand."
"Oh, I see. But what happened? Why are things so busy?"
248
⦘
"What happened... you ask?"
Sigh!
Lee Hayeon sighed deeply.
"Since joining the original game where the BattleNet went to hell, the level
cap was expanded."
"Right."
"And from the world's first rankers, all the top-tier players have entered
their growth phase again."
"Uh-huh."
"Now everyone is trying to get into the Daegi guild. The promising spots
have already been replaced by rankers, and they are calling from all around
asking if there are any spots left, pestering with requests and even threats."
Thump! thump! thump!
Lee Hayeon walked to the desk in the guild master's office and hammered
on the keyboard.
Then, Lee Hayeon's emails appeared on the monitor screen.
"There, personally, I am getting sweet offers from everywhere. The Ameri‐

cans are saying they will give me 100 Akashic pages if I go there. The Chi‐
nese offered 80."
An email from Robert Gates of the American First.
The email contained an eye-watering salary amount and an offer to support

with Akashic pages on a national level.
'The value of nurturing ability is being recognized quite a bit.'
249
⦘
Various guilds around the world are actively operating support gifts for nur‐
turing talent.
However, the number of nurturing ability users were still scarce, though
Seong Jihan had lowered the difficulty level of the world.
Therefore, each guild had no choice but to look towards Lee Hayeon, the
existing top talent.
"And I've even received offers from all directions due to the bombshell
tasks. They're saying I can just relax in Hawaii and they'll take care of ev‐
erything."
"Hmm. Hayeon, didn't you want to showcase your abilities? If you want, I
can help you with that."
"No. Well... I just don't like to be idle. But..."
Lee Hayeon pointed at her back with her finger.
Behind her was a mountain-like pile of documents, half covering the win‐
dow of the guild master's office.
"I don't want to just work here and die!"
Lee Hayeon seemed like she might actually quit and run away.
Seong Jihan decided to sort out the guild tasks.
"So what's the exact problem? I thought I gave you full authority."
"Authority... right. I do have the authority over all guild tasks. But..."
Lee Hayeon stood up briskly from her spot and brought documents from
behind her.
It was application forms from players who wished to join the Daegi guild.
Lee Hayeon laid them out one by one on the desk.
250
⦘
"Look at this. All the world rankers have submitted applications. Every sin‐
gle one without exception! Even the rankers from the Chinese People's As‐
sociation, who had a big clash with you, have all submitted applications. It's
not collusion or anything, it's just...!"
From world rank 1 to 100.
No, including rankings beyond that, every player has submitted applications
to join the Daegi guild without exception.
And that's not all.
The guilds where they originally belonged and even the national BattleNet
associations had sent official documents urging cooperation.
'This is more than the guild master can handle alone.'
The situation where the superpowers, the United States and China, joined
forces to request the inclusion of their players.
Even if Lee Hayeon deleg ated authority from Seong Jihan, it was still too
much for one person to handle.
"Taking out the promising player from American First and putting in the 1st
rank, right?"
"Yes. That's how Oliver, the 1st rank from the United States, became a
member of our guild. However, the positions that couldn't be resolved are
still causing trouble."
It was all well and good to switch a prospect with a core player in their own
guilds.
However, the biggest issue was the allocation of places allotted to other
guilds.
Arguments continued to clash between those who argued for redistributing

the Daegi guild's growth effects to high rankers for the sake of humanity
and those who insisted they couldn't give up their share.
251
⦘
"These people really... acting as if they've reserved spots."
"Right. Even though they are quite formidable, it's too much for me to han‐
dle. At first, I thought they were minding your gaze, but lately, ever since
you stopped interfering with the guild... it's gotten worse."
Lee Hayeon pointed at herself.
"I have also seen increasing attempts to recruit me."
"Are you planning to go?"
"Well, I might prefer going to Hawaii than just working to death."
Lee Hayeon, with eyes half-closed and staggering, spoke carelessly.
Seong Jihan felt the need to sort things out swiftly.
Otherwise, she might actually leave.
"Alright. I'll handle it right away. First of all."
Snap!
Seong Jihan snapped his fingers.
The application forms piled up on the desk and by the window turned into
dust and disappeared.
"What...?"
"Cut all the guild members brought from other guilds. Let's just keep... Yes,
me and Seah. My brother-in-law, Sophia, Masied, and Barren as well. And
leave those assigned to your share, like Gayeong."
"Regarding my share, Gayeong is the only one. But you say you've cut the
rest...... Oh, Barren was left?"
252
⦘
"His gift is excellent. He has value worth nurturing for the sake of human‐
ity."
Barren, who used to lead the world rankings in the previous life.
Although he was a bit arrogant, his status windows with two gifts were
truly outstanding.
He was a talent worth cultivating in the long run.
"But if we do cut them like this, complaints are going to start coming in
from all sides..."
"Lee Hayeon. Remember this. We are the superiors here."
"But still, the opposition is the United States and China, you know?"
"If they keep bothering us, just say I'll boycott the Space League."
Lee Hayeon blinked.
Oh, right.
That was Seong Jihan's position.
A player who had become a core player for humanity in less than a year
since his awakening.
If not for his premonition during the last Space League game, many players
would have been exec uted.
It wouldn't be a big deal for most players.
But if Seong Jihan declares that he will no longer participate in the Space
League if his guild is disrupted, that would carry a significant weight.
"And from now on, every month, they say they will randomly select a
player from the top 200 players in the world rankings to bring into the
guild."
253
⦘
"Random... selection?"
"Yes. The chosen person will be allowed to stay as a guild member for a
month, receiving a reasonable amount of money."
"And next month, you chase them out again and pick new ones?"
"Yes. That's the plan."
"The players originally affiliated might resist..."
"We'll just pay a penalty to kick them out. I made some money this time."
Swooosh!
Seong Jihan revealed his GP balance in his status window to Lee Hayeon.
"...1...100 billion GP?"
"There are many wealthy people in the Space League."
The GP exchange rate that was $1 during the tutorial.
Since the opening of the Space League, it had fluctuated but was currently
around $2.5.
What's the value of 100 billion GP?
'And it keeps increasing...'
Perhaps because Hidden Boss Seong Jihan was active throughout the uni‐
verse, the GP number continued to rise.
Lee Hayeon, now wide awake, looked at Seong Jihan.
"Boss.. With this much, do you really need to run the guild?"
"I'm running the guild mainly for the growth bonus. You can take all the
money the guild earns."
254
⦘
"Me, all of it?"
"Yes, how much do you want?"
Seong Jihan seemed utterly indifferent about how much the guild made.
"Recruit more people. Spend money freely. I can sell as much as I want
too."
"Still, how am I supposed to..."
"It's better for Lee Hayeon to take a flight to Hawaii due to overwork than
to work until you die."
With that assertion, Seong Jihan opened the guild management window in
the system.
"Then I'll start cutting the guild members."
"Ah......"
Seong Jihan's fingers moved nimbly.
[The player 'Oliver' has been expelled from the guild.]
In front of Lee Hayeon, a guild system message appeared.
The world's number one, Oliver from the United States, was first to be ex‐
pelled from the guild.
Following him, all players were successively expelled from the Daegi guild.
Then,
Buzz buzz buzz...
Multiple phones belonging to Lee Hayeon started vibrating everywhere.
255
⦘
"Hello? Have you been expelled from the guild? Please wait a moment. Let
me confirm."
Even in the office outside the guild master's room, the sound of phones
ringing incessantly spread.
Immediate reactions came in response to Seong Jihan's expulsion of all his

guild members.
"......The response from these people is really fast."
"Tell those contacting you to watch the guild BattleTube."
"BattleTube?"
"Yes. Let's turn on the guild BattleTube, which we haven't for a long time.
I'll make a clear announcement about this incident."
After expelling all the guild members and not long after the official Battle‐
Tube was played, it contained announcements regarding the guild.
-All players in the Daegi guild got expelled?
-What the heck happened?
The viewers, already hearing about the recent developments, started flock‐
ing to the channel.
"......Therefore, from now on, the Daegi guild will change its method of se‐
lecting guild members to all random."
-Pure random, wow, this is a big change.
-How many slots does the Daegi guild have?
-With the expansion of the number of people allocated to the top 10 guilds...
subtracting the remaining people, it would be around 50-60 slots, right?
256
⦘
-Roughly a 1/4 probab ility.
-If that's the case, wouldn't it be better to just cut based on world rankings?
In the Daegi guild office, Seong Jihan declared a sudden change in the
method of selecting guild members.
The viewers' reactions were divided in various ways in response to his

statement. Many questioned why they wouldn't just cut based on rankings.
"Because then certain countries would get too many benef its. We'll go with
a random selection."
Since most players in the top 50 are from the United States and China,
Seong Jihan opted for a pure random selection to avoid concentrating wait‐
ing guild slots in just those two countries.
He added, "Oh, and stop sending recruitment offers to our guild master. If
you send one more email, our guild won't accept it. Especially, be careful,
American First."
-He called out American First lol
-As expected of Seong Jihan... not even caring about the world's top-ranked
guild.
-The one who should be nervous is them, why would he be? lol Seong Jihan
sent a clear warning to stop sending recruitment offers to Lee Hayeon.
[R.E.GATES has sponsored 100,000 GP.]
[Understood, Mr. Seong Jihan. We won't make any more offers.]
Immediately, a sponsorship message appeared on the guild's BattleTube

window.
Robert Gates, one of the major stakeholders in American First, promptly ex‐
pressed his apologies.
257
⦘
-He's bowing down immediately, wow.
-Is the Daegi guild that much superior...?
-In terms of growth, there's nowhere better. There's no comparison.
-After entering the Space League, even China is trying hard to amend their
relationship with the Daegi guild lol -They thought they could bully people,
now they wonder if the tide was going to turn like this lol -Ah. So if the
player from the People's Association is randomly selected, will you take
them, Mr. Seong Jihan?
Players from the People's Association, essentially boycotted from the Daegi
guild.
If they randomly selected one from the top 200, a player from the People's
Association would inevitably be chosen.
'Hmm... they did behave in a way that annoyed me. However, China has
many key players.'
With the Space League already open,
It was necessary to promote the growth of Chinese players with SSS-gifts to

enhance humanity's overall strength.
But it wouldn't be right to simply accept them without addressing the past
incident.
'Right. I'll get something out of it.'
Seong Jihan slowly stirred the waters.
"The People's Association... Since there's bad blood between us, I don't in‐
tend to pick them."
-Seriously, don't pick them. Who knows if they'll stab you in the back?
258
⦘
-But then, players like Je Galheon or Wang Lin should be nurtured for the
Space League, shouldn't they?
-Player Seong Jihan, I urge you to make a decisive decision. The Space
League matches are about to take place; do you intend to exclude 1/5 of hu‐
manity?
-Yes, please consider the greater good!
-Seong Jihan, think about justice!
-Oops, someone just marked his spot lol
-Oh, there are a lot of Chinese flags in the ID now.
With IDs displaying Chinese flags pouring in, the chat window began to
flood.
Seeing that, Seong Jihan chuckled and opened his mouth.
"Having said that, considering we moved into the Space League... It doesn't
quite feel right to exclude an entire nation... if only one condition is met, I'll
accept Chinese players."
-The condition?
-What is it?
-You're really going to accept people from the People's Association to the
Daegi guild?
The chat room, filled with Chinese flags, promptly inquired.
"The condition is... selected as the 'Guild of the Year' by the World Bat‐
tleNet Association. If the waiting guild is chosen for this, I'll accept the Peo‐
ple's Association too."
259
⦘
When Seong Jihan finally mentioned the condition, those who were flood‐
ing the chat with demands for a decisive decision fell silent for a moment.
***
***
260
⦘
Chapter 221
***
***
-Wow, aiming for the Guild of the Year... That's a big move.
-Is the Guild of the Year that important?
-If selected, you get a +7 boost to all guild options lol. It's totally overpow‐
ered.
The 'Guild of the Year' award, selected once a year by the World BattleNet
Association, endowed an immense benef it of granting a +7 level increase to
all guild options including [Guild Member Expansion], [Stat Increase], and
[Growth Rate Increase].
Due to this powerful effect, strong disputes arose in many countries over
the Guild of the Year.
The World BattleNet Association didn't allow a specific Guild to be selected

consecutively for the Guild of the Year.
If American First was selected this year, they couldn't be selected next year,
and another Guild would take their place.
-Wasn't American First the Guild of the Year last time?
-Yeah, it's probab ly the turn for the People's Association this time.
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And so, with this system in place, the honor of the Guild of the Year was al‐
ternately shared between the overwhelming American First and the People's
Association, considering their Guild sizes.
Apart from them, there were no Guilds worthy of being selected as the
Guild of the Year.
Last year, American First was the Guild of the Year, so it was supposed to
be the People's Association's turn this year.
"The Guild of the Year. If we go by size, indeed the People's Association

should be chosen. But let's think 'generously' as you all like. The Daegi
guild as the paragon of nurturing guilds. Here, if we get +7 options and ac‐
cept 35 more players, Earth's players' strength will grow much faster."
While saying that, Seong Jihan smacked his hands together as if he had just
realized something.
"Oh! And the growth rate will increase too. If the growth rate in the nurtur‐
ing guild gets +7 added... How effective would that be for nurturing play‐
ers? For the greater good, how about selecting us as the Guild of the Year?"
-Generous, For greater good indeed. He's throwing back the same words the
Chinese were saying lol -But for real, if the Daegi guild is nurturing all the
world's rankers, isn't it right to support them?
-Exactly. Players need to grow quickly to fight the space monsters.
-Won't those in the TOP 200 also have an increased chance of being picked?
-But when will they announce it?
-It's on March 1st, lol.
-Not much time left, lol.
As of late February, the current date, there wasn't much time left until the
Guild of the Year selection.
262
⦘
Calculating the dates, Seong Jihan said, "On March 2nd, I will do a random
draw broadcast. Whether all 200 rankers will participate in the draw or
not... we can know that the day before."
Seong Jihan definitively set the date for the guild member drawing to be
right after the selection for the Guild of the Year.
"Then. I'll look forward to a wise choice."
With those last words, Seong Jihan tossed the ball back to the Chinese side
and turned off the BattleTube broadcast.
With that, Seong Jihan passed the ball to the Chinese side and turned off the
BattleTube broadcast.
And, of course, as soon as the broadcast ended that day, the news spread
like wildfire throughout the entire BattleNet industry.
Especially, the place where the situation went crazy was on the side of the
People's Association.
People's Association conference room.
The People's Association executives looked at Seong Jihan's broadcast with

distorted faces.
"That brazen guy... he dares to ask for the Guild of the Year?"
"This has crossed the line!"
"Right. If we miss Guild of the Year this time, it could be a bad sign for
challenging the Champions League."
The Guild of the Year effect, which boosts all Guild options to +7, had
brought tremendous power-ups to China's national representative players.
This was because +7 to all stats was a considerable enhancement.
263
⦘
"We have already decided the list of 35 players to be promoted to the main
team. To challenge for victory in the Champions League, they must receive
the Guild of the Year effects for the People's Association's main team."
"Without the enhancement of the stats for these 35 players, we will lose
against the United States in the decisive battle."
China's all-out effort was concentrated on the People's Association's main

team. Having 35 more players entering and receiving stat enhancement ef‐
fects was a tremendous advantage.
However, according to Seong Jihan's request, accepting 35 additional mem‐

bers seemed impossible. From China's perspective, aiming for the Champi‐
ons League victory this year, it was an offer that was hard to accept.
"But thinking about the future, it's regrettable to give up the growth effect
of the Daegi Guild..."
"Sigh! Out of 1.3 billion people, isn't there a gifted person with nurturing
gift? Why does Korea have an SS-level nurturer?"
"The most outstanding one was only B-grade. I reinforced him up to A-

grade through the Akashic Page, but breaking through the wall to S was
challenging."
"The difference is quite significant, isn't it?"
"Yes. Even top players often experience natural growth in stats. The world's
number one, Oliver, expressed surprise when his stats increased by 3."
"Well. If players from other countries all grow rapidly in the Daegi Guild,
and we are left behind..."
"By next year, the gap in growth among the top-ranking players could be‐
come significant."
However, rejecting the Daegi guild's offer seemed too valuable considering
their nurturing ability.
264
⦘
Not only for the prospects but also the existing top-tier players were reaping
the growth rate increase benef its of the Daegi guild.
The value of the Daegi guild was skyrocketing.
"How about we bring over the Daegi guild master Lee Hayeon? Her ability
must be the most crucial."
"She is the lover of Seong Jihan. She is the practical owner of the guild."
"We tried already, but even when we offered 80 more Akashic pages, she
flatly refused."
"And didn't Seong Jihan just tell us not to approach her in the broadcast?
Knowing his character, if we approach and fail, our relationship with the
Daegi guild will be completely severed."
"Ha. It's humilia ting to have to answer to that punk."
Suffering the indignity of groveling before a single player.
While resenting Zhang Shuzhong for causing trouble last time, the People's
Association executives continued to strategize.
"What do the players ranked in the TOP 200 think?"
"They are strongly criticizing Seong Jihan and the Daegi guild. But mostly,
they seem upset about missing out on the growth power."
"The latter would be their real feelings."
"Well, it might be... especially in the case of Je Galheon, who fell three
places in the rankings, his reaction was quite sharp."
"Did he fall that much?"
The faces of the People's Association officials became serious.
To be pushed back like this after a few months?
265
⦘
At this rate, after a year or two, the growth gap might become insurmount‐
able.
"...On the BattleNet, top players are the most important. We can't let them
fall behind."
"If that's the case..."
"Let's give up on the Guild of the Year, but in return, ask the Daegi guild to
ensure our 35 spots."
Pride and practicality.
Between the two, the People's Association chose the latter while gritting
their teeth.
And then,
"Boss... Just when I thought I could finally take a break, I received an ur‐
gent call from the People's Association."
Lee Hayeon, who just went to the restroom thinking she could finally relax
after the BattleTube broadcast, contacted Seong Jihan again after a while.
"What do they say?"
"They said they'll give up on the Guild of the Year, but in return want 35
spots for themselves."
"35 spots... that's quite greedy."
"In return, they promise to support us next year to be selected as Guild of

the Year again."
"Next year?"
If this year belonged to the People's Association, then next year would be
for American First.
266
⦘
'They've played their hand well.'
They're probab ly arguing that since we're giving up this year, America
should too.
I could indeed sense this drowning-man mindset.
"Isn't it impossible for a guild to be selected as Guild of the Year for two
years in a row?"
"They're willing to make an exception for the Daegi Guild and fully support
it."
"Hmm... Well, that's not a problem with the BattleNet system but rather a
rule set by the BattleNet Association."
"It seems that way."
Changing regulations to be the Guild of the Year two years in a row.
'That doesn't sound bad.'
The People's Association must've made such an argument, thinking it's bet‐
ter to give it to the Daegi guild again rather than giving it to American First.
However, their proposition was favorable for Seong Jihan.
"Alright. Let's allocate around 20 spots to the People's Association, includ‐

ing those conditions."
"20... is that the maximum we'll negotiate for?"
"Yes. Once the number is settled through negotiation, I'll publicly announce
that we'll transfer some guild member spots to the side giving up Guild of
the Year."
"I see... Alright. I'll negotiate with the People's Association based on that."
Seong Jihan nodded.
267
⦘
Their relationship with the People's Association had been quite adversarial,
but American First had been relatively friendly towards him.
'Yesterday's enem
ies can become today's allies.'
Limited to this 'Guild of the Year' issue, it seemed best to exploit the Peo‐
ple's Association appropriately.
Seong Jihan's ultimate goal was to liberate Earth from the BattleNet game.
For that purpose, the Daegi guild---where he belonged---needed to keep

holding the reins of development, and the 'Guild of the Year' was a key
point to strengthen that leadership.
"Lee Hayeon, please take care of the negotiation this one last time. Then
you can take as long a vacation as you want afterward."
"Vacation..."
Lee Hayeon muttered those words as if in a daze, gazing at Seong Jihan.
"Boss, aren't you going on vacation?"
"I have to level up."
"But Hidden Boss is already earning you experience points."
"That is true, but I still need to do personal training."
"No, people need some rest too..."
"I consider training as my rest."
Lee Hayeon looked at Seong Jihan with a sickened face.
A person training all day long and participating in BattleNet...
What kind of machine is he?
268
⦘
"Well, okay. While we're at it, I should take a break."
"...Are you going to train?"
"Yes. I've been neglecting it for a while because I was clearing special dun‐
geon map. I'll go up for now."
After bidding farewell to Lee Hayeon, Seong Jihan left the Guild Master's
room to train. Lee Hayeon blinked her eyes, staring fixedly at his retreating
figure.
At that moment, Lim Gayeong, who had been in the restroom, came out.
"Miss, why did you ask about a vacation?"
"Well, I just..."
"Did you perhaps want to ask if you could go on vacation with Seong Ji‐
han?"
"What? What are you saying? Are you crazy?"
"It might be better to be straightforward next time. Like Sophia."
"I didn't mean that!"
"You could just tell him that you ought to go on a trip as a couple with him,
right?"
"Ah... really, it's not like that!"
"Are you sure?."
Smirk!
Lim Gayeong grinned with a meaningful smile as Lee Hayeon shouted with
a flush red face.
"Ugh... Hey, just do your job!"
269
⦘
"Sure, sure."
Lim Gayeong raised the documents again, thinking to herself.
'Leaving it like this, it seems it'll stay the same for a hundred years...'
After overcoming an addiction to gambling with strong determination,

Seong Jihan couldn't even take a single step forward.
'Maybe I should help her.'
Lee Gayeong looked at Lee Hayeon with determination, making up her

mind.
Meanwhile,
As Seong Jihan was about to head home, intending to visit his Void Train‐
ing Room, Swoooosh...
He felt the shadow energy intensify on his left arm.
[Master. I have returned.]
After speaking with Artemus,
Ariel, who had claimed she'd need some time to seek the Queen's finger,
went off the grid.
She had said it might take a while,
But in no time at all, she manifested her presence again.
"You came back quickly. Did the Queen not give her finger?"
[No, she did]
"...Already?"
270
⦘
Pong!
A slender, black index finger popped out from Seong Jihan's left arm. The
shadow eman ating from it clearly indicated that it was an authentic finger.
'...How could the permission have been so swiftly granted?'
Dealing with the Shadow Queen usually took a few days, at least.
"Are you really not the queen?"
[I am not!]
"Why was the finger just ready to detach like that? Be honest, it's all clear
now."
[No! It's just that the queen has high expectations for you.]
"Sure, Your Majesty."
Initially surprised, Ariel gave up. Seong Jihan already halfway believed that
she was the Shadow Queen.
"Inventory."
From his inventory, Seong Jihan took out the horn Artemus had given him.
'The universe's finest blacksmith...'
Artemus introduced himself as a combination robot of the dwarf race.
'I should check out his skills.'
He blew the horn.
['Hell Devil Palace Crystal' is in possession of the player.]
[Inviting player to the forge of Artemus.]
271
⦘
Flash!
Seong Jihan's silhouette disappeared, enveloped in light.
***
***
272
⦘
Chapter 222
***
***
Artemus's forge.
The scene there differed significantly from the typical image of a forge that
one might imagine.
'It's filled with machinery.'
Rather than a medieval space, Artemus's forge resembled a state-of-the-art

laboratory. The pristine interior was packed with intricate machines, and at
the back, large test tubes were lined up.
'But what's inside those test tubes... Is that a brain?'
Inside the test tubes filled with white liquid, numerous objects resembling
brains, slightly smaller than human ones, floated. And in front of those
tubes, a machine was automatically creating metal masses.
'That metal... It looks similar to the materials for Artemus's legion's equip‐
ment.'
As Seong Jihan observed this, he heard Artemus's voice.
[&$(Percent... Oh, can you hear the translation?]
"Huh."
273
⦘
[Okay. The translation sync is correct. Come this way.]
Kurururu...
A white light shimmered from a corner of the forge's wall, revealing a hid‐
den space. As Seong Jihan entered, a bald dwarf shook his hand, saying:
"Welcome. Comrade of Space 4."
This dwarf resembled the one Seong Jihan had seen when Artemus sum‐
moned his legion, but there was a difference in the body. His right leg and
right arm were abnormally enlarged. The left leg and left arm were similar
in size to regular dwarves, compensated by mechanical equipment to match
the size of the right side.
"Are you Artemus?"
"Yes."
Nodding, Artemus looked at his arms and legs.
"How does my arms and legs look?"
"They don't seem to match your torso."
"Modifying the torso costs too much. I'll do it later."
"Hmm... Is this the race improvement you mentioned last time?"
As Seong Jihan observed Artemus's enlarged limbs, he recalled Artemus's

words from their previous conversation.
-Oh, right. Did you also stay on BattleNet to improve your race? In that
case, as a senior, I can give you advice. There's an optimal route for what
options to buy for the lowest-tier races.
Artemus, showing familiarity to Seong Jihan as a fellow from a weak race,

mentioned this. Was this what he referred to as race improvement?
274
⦘
While Seong Jihan was contemplating Artemus's appearance, Artemus gave

a nod and exerted strength in his right arm.
The bulging muscles swelled, and the right arm, growing larger, ripped
through the clothing.
"See this! Just by giving strength to my fist, the clothes don't tear like this.
The properly transplanted arm of a White Ogre. It's perfectly integrated!"
"But why didn't you do the left one?"
"The cost is too high. Implanting it only on me is cheap, but applying it to

all of our dwarf race is another matter."
"Hmm... Was such a thing possible on BattleNet?"
"Your race is still new, so the options haven't opened yet. They'll be avail‐
able soon. Can you imagine the shock for everyone if they all had it?"
Seong Jihan cocked his head.
He had experienced BattleNet for a while in his past life, but never heard of
such options.
'Was it not available because of our low rank?'
For now, Seong Jihan put this information from Artemus in the back of his
mind as he opened his inventory.
"Is this what you wanted?"
The Hell Devil Palace Crystal.
The item retrieved from the inventory was no larger than a fist, not much
different from an ordinary rock. The only difference was its color -- a shin‐
ing black.
Seong Jihan presented the item to Artemus.
275
⦘
The hellish rock gleamed with a deep crimson hue but showed no other par‐
ticular characteristics.
Yet.
"Oh, oh... yes, that's right! The Hell Devil Palace Crystal. You've brought it
properly!"
Artemus was visibly excited upon seeing the Hell Devil Palace Crystal.
"Now I can operate the forge again! Quickly, give it to me!"
"I'm expecting service before payment, though."
"Now, you... I need the crystal to start the forge again, see? Just hand it
over."
"What if you just take it and run?"
"...Take it and run... is that correctly translated?"
"Yes."
Artemus's face reddened.
"What nonsense. The greatest blacksmith in the universe, Artemus, sub‐

jected to such disgraceful...!"
"You never know what goes on in the world."
"If you have doubts, just browse the BattleNet community! I'm swamped
with requests from races desiring my service, and you dare come at me like
this... Don't you plan to do business with me again in the future?"
"Oh, there's a community? Never seen one."
"...Ah, right. Your Race. You guys are the newcomers."
276
⦘
Seeing Seong Jihan, who didn't even know about the existence of the Bat‐
tleNet community, Artemus sighed.
"Fine. Let's use the BattleNet authenticated contract. But you'll bear the
commission fee."
Then a system window appeared before Seong Jihan.
[If player 'Seong Jihan' hands over the Hell Devil Palace Crystal, player
'Artemus' will enhance the spear 'Phoenix Flag' and the sword 'Eclipse,' pro‐
viding three forge vouchers.]
[Do you want to proceed with the trade with player 'Artemus'?]
[A trusted player guaranteed by BattleNet with a trade reliab ility of 99 per‐

cent.]
He isn't a scammer then.
When Seong Jihan pressed 'Yes',
[The commission fee is 5 million GP.]
The BattleNet intermediary fee appeared.
5 million GP.
Compared to Artemus's intimidating demand that Seong Jihan bear the cost,
it was a modest amount.
The fee isn't much."
"Hehe... When you enter the evolutionary stage of your race, you'll regret
those words. Every penny will be so precious."
"I don't plan on evolving. I just want to be liberated from BattleNet as soon
as possible."
277
⦘
"Well, whether you're liberated or not, you'll receive another invitation,

won't you?"
"What?"
"Have you ever wondered why races receive invitations on BattleNet?"
"Why do they?"
"It's because of you."
What kind of nonsense is this?
As Seong Jihan looked at Artemus in disbelief, he extended four fingers as

if to say, "For this reason."
"Even as a rookie and the lowest-ranked race, a player who entered Space 4
Area on BattleNet. Such monstrous cases are rare in the entire universe, es‐
pecially among the lowest-ranked races."
And with that, Artemus spoke with a voice full of conviction.
"You must have been a monster even before being invited to BattleNet, sur‐
passing your race' standards immensely. Yes... Like the great leader of the
dwarves, the absolute monarch who unified a planet, I, Artemus, you would
have been comparable to me."
Watching the bald dwarf brag about himself, Seong Jihan shook his head.
"Is that so? I was completely ordinary. My physical abilities were, well, just
slightly above average."
"...How could that be? An average guy? How would someone ordinary
make it into Space 4?"
"By coming first every time."
278
⦘
"Ha... every time? Is that even possible? I find it hard to believe."
Artemus looked at Seong Jihan as if he was a marvel and continued speak‐

ing.
"Then among your species, was there no one unusual? Someone who over‐
whelmingly surpassed the limits of their kind."
Seong Jihan thought first of Dongbang Sak and Longinus.
The two who overcame the limits of their race to enjoy eternal life.
Especially Longinus, who even became a constellation and possessed

Vladimir.
'But their status is that of a martial god. Would those two be the reason invi‐
tations to BattleNet went out?'
Rather than them,
It seemed more suspicious to consider the wandering martial god above

them.
"Could it be the wandering martial god?"
"The wandering martial god? You mean the hunter of constellations? Of

course, I know. Isn't he a figure who reigns as a terror in the universe?"
"He might be the reason, then."
"Haha! No way."
But Artemus scoffed at Seong Jihan's conjecture.
"He's been a martial god in existence for thousands of years. If he's been
around that long, he'd be treated as a deity rather than your human kind. If
he was the problem, the invitations from BattleNet would have come long
ago."
279
⦘
"Hmm..."
"No matter how I look at it, I think you are the main reason why BattleNet
was summoned on your planet. It doesn't make sense for a newcomer to be
assigned to Space in the first place."
"I told you, there was nothing special before BattleNet started."
"Heh, I understand that feeling. If you're in a low-grade race, you don't

want to stand out as an alien existence. You want to hide your power to
blend in... but why bother hiding from me? Like you, I too hail from a lin‐
eage of rulers."
Already convinced in his mind that Seong Jihan was the cause, Artemus
didn't wait for persuasion and changed the subject.
"But why is an individual surpassing the limits of their race an issue?"
"BattleNet has a system to remove bugs. A slight surpassing of limits is

fine, but an entity that overwhelmingly does so triggers the error detection.
So, they gather all the bugs and have them fight to the death against each
other."
"So all races participating in BattleNet have such irregular beings?"
"I don't know that. There are cases like elves and dragons who enter volun‐
tarily. But if a race receives invitations without knowing why, it must be be‐
cause there's an irregular entity within them."
Seong Jihan thought of his past life.
In the Space League, each opposing race had individuals who were over‐
whelmingly powerful.
Even among the orcs, who wallowed in the releg ation zone with him, there
was one who was transcendent.
'Still, that one lost to me.'
280
⦘
BattleNet's bug detection system.
Even bugs that weren't so strong were somehow invited into BattleNet.
While Seong Jihan reminisced about the past,
"Have your questions been answered somewhat? Bug player."
"I'm all the more puzzled, to be honest."
"As a fellow senior bug player, let me share another tip. The reason I'm
modifying my race is also due to avoiding this bug detection."
Tap-tap!
Artemus tapped his mechanical arm, his ogre limb, with a hammer.
"If our dwarf race as a whole evolves, then the strength of this Artemus
would be within the limits of our race. That would spare us from BattleNet's
watchful eye."
"So you're looking to liberate yourself from BattleNet then?"
"No? Why would we leave if our race has become stronger? We should
keep participating in BattleNet. Isn't it a world where the strong thrive?"
It seemed Artemus intended to stay in BattleNet even after his race evolved.
While playing with his arms, he turned the conversation back.
"Since it's the first time we've met in Space 4 as representatives from minor
races, I've been talking quite a lot. Now, how about we fulfill our contract?"
"Alright."
As per the contract, Seong Jihan handed over the Hell Devil Palace Crystal.
Artemus swallowed the crimson crystal and,
281
⦘
Swooooosh!
Metal blocks began to materialize out of thin air and quickly attached to
Artemus, Click, click...
morphing his body in an instant into the form of the combining robot seen
before.
[Integrating the Hell Devil Palace Crystal...]
As the ruddy light emitted by the hellish rock also coursed through his
metallic body, Flash! Flash!
Lights flickered over the robot's entire body.
From its back, nearly twenty long arms were generated.
[Good... now I can accept commissions. First, let's unveil your spear, shall
we?]
"Here it is."
[Stab it into the ground.]
When Seong Jihan drew the Phoenix Flag and stabbed it into the ground;
one of the newly created hands of the robot grabbed it.
Then,
Chiiiiik...
Smoke rose from the spear,
[It's done.]
Artemus handed back the spear.
'Done already?'
282
⦘
Just a grip and it's finished?
Isn't this a rip-off?
Seong Jihan suspiciously eyed the Phoenix Flag but, [Cloud-Soaring

Phoenix Flag]
-- Grade: SSS+
-The war banner once wielded by the founding Khan of the Kingdom of
Wind, a descendant of the phoenix.
-It holds the fervor emitted by the phoenix poets.
-The power of the thundercloud spear has been perfectly fused, allowing the
thunder attributes to blend in as completely as the heat.
-- As a special effect, when planted on the battlefield, it increases all stats

by 35 percent for nearby party members and allies.
-- An additional effect: if the user is a guild owner or guild master, it in‐

creases all option levels of the affiliated guild by +7.
'Hoho...'
The name changed, and the Phoenix Flag was enhanced overall. Seong Ji‐
han felt it instinctively when he held the spear.
"Crowned as the universe's greatest blacksmith, I see it wasn't just an empty

boast."
[What, are you surprised by this? There's more to come.]
Unimpressed by Seong Jihan's praise, Artemus said, "The real deal?"
[Yes. Bring out the shadow sword and the Queen's Finger.]
Swoooosh...
283
⦘
Summoning about twenty hammers on his back, Artemus said with a seri‐
ous expression.
[To the preposterous challenge of shadow engulfing the sun... I'll lend a
hand.]
***
***
284
⦘
Chapter 223
***
***
"Swallowing the sun? What does that mean?"
Seong Jihan handed over Eclipse and the Queen's finger to Artmu as he
asked for clarification.
Is the enhancement of Eclipse some grand tale?
[It seems you do not yet know why Eclipse was created.]
Eclipse and the Queen's finger floated in the air, and Bang! Bang!
Twenty arms simultaneously wielded hammers and pounded them.
Rather than elev ating both Eclipse and the finger to a new level of synthe‐
sis, the method seemed to ruthlessly just smash them together.
Yet, despite countless hammer strikes, neither Eclipse nor the Queen's fin‐
ger showed any sign of deformation.
Seong Jihan continued to watch intently and pursued his inquiry further.
"Why was Eclipse created?"
[I had once received a similar commission from the Shadow Queen. She
named her sword Eclipse and declared, 'With this sword, I will swallow the
sun.']
285
⦘
Seong Jihan remembered the meaning behind Eclipse.
It referred to a solar eclipse, a celestial occurrence when the moon covers

the sun.
Was the sword's name not just given on a whim but with such a purpose in
mind?
"But why attempt to swallow the sun?"
[Are the Shadow Elves not enem ies of the World Tree? From the perspec‐
tive of the World Tree Alliance, they are a minor rebellion.]
[We are no triviality at all. How many planets have been liberated so far?]
[Oh? This sword has the luxury to talk back? Hit harder!]
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Artmu laughed amusedly at Ariel's offended response to being called a mi‐

nor rebellion.
[This barbaric...!]
[Heh. Stay quiet, will you? Any more from you, and it'll only take longer to
integrate.]
[......]
As Ariel fell silent, Seong Jihan continued with his questions.
"What does the World Tree have to do with the sun?"
[There's a rumor in the BattleNet community about the World Tree Alliance.
Have you heard of Yggdrasil?]
"I'm aware. They tried to sponsor me in exchange for lifting my Hideout

status, offering 100 trillion GP."
286
⦘
[What, what? 100 trillion?? Why didn't you take it right away?]
Artmu paused hammering.
The eyes of the combined robot sparkled fiercely as they homed in on

Seong Jihan.
"I can't risk exposing information to such a dangerous entity."
[....That may be so but, oh. It's a pity I met you face-to-face, and you're still
in Hideout status. Can't you lift that shadow curtain over your face a bit?]
"Why, you planning on selling my info to Yggdrasil?"
[Yep.]
"You'd do that?"
[Well... no, I wouldn't.]
Bang! Bang!
As Artmu resumed hammering, he peered intently at Seong Jihan.
[Back to earlier conversation. Yggdrasil has apparently already established

its own planetary system.]
"A planetary system?"
[Essentially, Yggdrasil has become an artificial sun.]
"...What? The sun? A tree?"
Yggdrasil, literally meaning a cosmic tree.
The name was certainly tree-like, but was it actually an artificial sun?
Seong Jihan felt dumbfounded as the scale exceeded his imagination.
287
⦘
[Yes. A tree becoming the sun is truly a phenomen on beyond imagination,

even for BattleNet. But... I've heard the artificial sun isn't entirely complete.
To compensate for that, I've heard they're planning to incorporate World
Tree Alliance planets into the Bronze League.]
Bang! Bang!
How much circulating information was there in the BattleNet community?
Artmu seemed to be well-informed about the affairs of the World Tree Al‐
liance.
He then added.
[It's just as well the number of planets in the World Tree Alliance isn't high.
Chances of them being included in the Bronze League like us are astronom‐
ically low.]
"We already have the World Tree Alliance elves."
[...Really? That's some terrible luck. If there's no way out, abandon your
race and run quickly. I can use one of the forge vouchers to craft you a de‐
cent spaceship.]
Artmu, suggesting to ditch his race due to being part of the same league as
the elves, highlighted just how infamous the World Tree Alliance was
across the cosmos.
Seong Jihan, however, had no thoughts of fleeing.
"Why would I, when I plan to deal with all of them?"
[Impetuous and bold... Though the future is unpredictable, I guess I'll pur‐
chase spaceship materials in advance.]
"So Eclipse is aimed at usurping artificial sun Yggdrasil?"
[Correct. The Shadow Queen declared her intent to use the sword to swal‐
low the sun. Preposterous, but...]
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Bang! Bang!
After relentless hammering, the finger eventually started to merge with

Eclipse.
[I was curious, as a blacksmith, to see how far her sword could go. That's
why I helped her in the past. We failed though. Despite everything, the
shadow sword never achieved an EX grade. But this sword...]
Artmu, who had been glaring at Seong Jihan still in Hideout status, finally
turned his gaze to the sword.
[...This has potential unlike before.]
Chiiiiik...!
After prolonged hammering, black smoke rose from Eclipse, and the finger
and sword fused completely.
[Okay, you wield it now, and find the last touch to perfect it.]
The shadow sword floated towards Seong Jihan.
Seong Jihan took hold of Eclipse.
'The shadow power has increased tremendously.'
Eclipse, now fused with the Queen's finger, had clearly grown stronger.
But Seong Jihan could not shake off a feeling of something missing.
'Seems like it could be further improved...'
Swoooosh...
While tending to Eclipse, Seong Jihan noticed an anomaly.
Inside the sword, a section harbored a different density of shadow energy

compared to the rest.
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⦘
[Why is this area hollow... Master? If you fill it, I think the sword will cer‐
tainly become stronger.]
Ariel requested Seong Jihan to fill this void, but he hesitated.
"Hmm..."
Seong Jihan pondered the blade.
Would just bolstering the shadow energy be right?
'If the Shadow Queen's objective to engulf the sun is Eclipse's aim, then am‐
plifying shadow energy is the correct direction...'
However, that was the Queen's business.
The Eclipse Seong Jihan intended to use had to be tailored to his capabili‐
ties.
'Like when I infused the fire attribute into the Crimson Thunder Cannon.
Combining it with the Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods yielded an unexpected
synergy effect.'
The life energy owned by the elves.
Contrary to the expectation of discordance with shadow energy, it proved

useful when combined.
'I should experim ent with the Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods, perhaps taking it
in a similar direction.'
Determined, Seong Jihan infused life energy into the central part of Eclipse.
[Master... what, what are you doing? You're joking, right?]
"Just as you felt last time, mixing it with life energy produced good effects."
[No, not good. It feels weird. It feels like I was not a Shadow Elf anymore!]
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⦘
"Adapt to it."
[No!!]
Despite Ariel's shriek,
Swoooosh...
Seong Jihan relentlessly poured life energy into the central part of the
sword.
And then,
With a flash of green amidst the black blade,
the sword began to resonate with the life energy from within.
'Hm.'
As if waiting for this moment, Eclipse responded.
The green light emerging concentrated at the center of the black blade, set‐
tling like a gemstone at the heart of Eclipse.
[You've inserted something foreign into the center. A life force similar to
elves'... your choice?]
"Yes."
[Magnifying the shadow power would've been immediately more benef i‐
cial... peculiar choice. Perhaps why the Shadow Queen willingly handed
over her finger is now apparent. She had left the center empty on purpose?]
Had the Shadow Queen wished to see the fusion of two energies in action?
As Seong Jihan pondered,
[The name 'Shadow of the Sun' has been changed to 'Shadow of Life'.]
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⦘
[Grade assessment is impossible.]
Eclipse's original name, 'Shadow of the Sun,' had been replaced, and its
grade changed to '?'.
[Shadow of Life]
-- Grade: ??
-- Once a sword used by the 'Shadow Queen' constellation.
-- Can be transformed into the form of the shadow sword, 'Eclipse'.
-- Eclipse combines the power of life, which restricts shadow power manip‐
ulation.
-- However, depending on how the power is wielded, there is a possibility

the sword grade could reach EX-Grade.
Starting off as an SS grade 'Shadow of the Sun', it had now transformed into
the 'Shadow of Life', reflecting both a downgrade and upgrade in potential.
'Possibility to reach EX grading... this alone is sufficient.' Seong Jihan fo‐

cused on the description's end.
Had he added more shadow energy earlier, Eclipse might have peaked at
SSS+ grade.
But by infusing life energy, albeit seemingly reducing efficiency for now, it
allowed a look into a much further future.
As Seong Jihan was content with how the sword had changed, zzzzztt...
One of the twenty arms that Artmu had conjured began to crackle with elec‐
tricity and then, Pop!
The whole arm exploded.
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⦘
[It seems the shadow sword is not so simple after all. One whole arm has
been expended.]
Artmu seemed familiar with parts of himself flying off.
He asked Seong Jihan,
[And what about next time... Will you be using the three forge vouchers
now?]
At that question, Seong Jihan thought of Yoon Seah.
Now that the opportunity arose, maybe she should have her bow crafted, he
pondered.
"Got any good bows?"
[Are you thinking of using a voucher or purchasing with GP?]
"Oh, you have some for sale?"
[Yes. I had a previous commission from a constellation of some minor race.

To make a bow for his daughter, centering on growth... I devoted much ef‐
fort to it.]
Artmu murmured while opening his inventory, rummaging through it.
"But why was it not sold?"
[The wandering martial god invaded that planet. No news since then.]
"So active, he is, that martial god."
[He has killed almost hundreds of my clients. Recently, though, he's been
quieter... Ah, here it is.]
Artmu fetched a bow from his inventory.
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⦘
[Currently SS grade, but it's a weapon that grows with its owner. It'll
quickly reach SSS grade. It could even surpass that. What do you think?
Will you buy it?]
"It looks good. How much is it?"
[Hmm... only 20 billion GP.]
20 billion GP?
What an expensive bow.
'The item seems fine...'
As Seong Jihan contemplated,
[Hmm... it can be paid in installments. Five years. Might seem pricey, but
it's worth every GP. It's really tough to create. Cost more in materials
alone.]
Artmu had never been so talkative.
"Hmm, shall we negotiate?"
[Ne...negotiate?? This is one of my masterpieces! The idea of price negotia‐

tion with the universe's greatest Blacksmith... That's an affront to my pride!]
"No, not money. I noticed something unique about your light energy. Can I
take some of that with me?"
[Light energy... Alright, I'll give you a Sunstone full of light energy. But in
exchange, keep the price as it is, alright?]
"Alright. No need for installments. I'll pay in full."
[Oh, Customer...!]
Upon Seong Jihan's announcement of a one-time payment, Artmu instinc‐

tively bowed.
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⦘
[Let me assist you with the payment!]
This was by far the most polite demeanor he had seen.
March 1st, at the World BattleNet Association Conference Room in New

York.
This day was one of the most important days for the World BattleNet Asso‐
ciation.
For good reason.
"We'll begin the meeting."
"Today's agenda is related to the selection of the 'Guild of the Year'."
It was the day to choose the Guild of the Year by the BattleNet Association,
which occurs once a year.
'This year it's just the People's Association's turn...'
'Why did the People's Association call this meeting?'
Representatives from powerful guilds across all nations looked meaning‐

fully at the Peoples' Association representative who had initiated today's
session.
Seong Jihan declared that if the People's Association wanted in, they had to
cede this year's Guild of the Year title.
Most insiders predicted the People's Association would refuse, given the
significant benef its the title would confer.
But the People's Assembly calling this session was curious.
'Could it be...?'
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⦘
The Daegi guild...
Despite Seong Jihan's outrageous demands, people thought it was unlikely

they would comply.
With that in mind, the representatives awaited the words of the People's As‐
sociation representative.
And then.
"... We, the People's Association, nominate the Daegi guild as the candidate
for this year's Guild of the Year."
As the Peoples' Association representative clenched his teeth and began to

speak, the conference room immediately stirred.
***
***
296
⦘
Chapter 224
***
***
"The People's Association is giving up on this year's Guild..."
"This is unbelievable."
"How did they negotiate with the Daegi Guild, of all guilds?"
Representatives of prominent guilds from various countries exchanged sur‐

prised glances.
The People's Association.
Famous for being the second-ranked guild in the world, directly operated by
the Chinese government, and known for its strong pride.
No one considered that they would readily accept the conditions proposed
by Seong Jihan, despite his current peerless status and the alluring growth
potential of the Daegi guild.
"The People's Association, they have been openly declaring that they are
going to win the Champions League to coincide with the opening of the
Space League this year."
"Handing over the Guild of the Year to the Daegi guild will set off a red sig‐
nal even for their challenge in the Champions League..."
"Wow, this really is an unexpected turn of events."
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⦘
There existed a definite but not huge gap in the strength of the players be‐
tween the USA and China.
During even-numbered years when American First claimed the Guild of the
Year title, China struggled in the Champions League, unable to defeat the
USA regardless of effort.
However, in odd-numbered years when the People's Association took the ti‐
tle, China managed to edge out the competition against the USA and
claimed the Champions League title several times.
Thus in 2021, coinciding with the inauguration of the Space League, China
declared boldly that they would take major victories in the first year.
But handing over the Guild of the Year to the Daegi guild meant resigning
their stronghold on the Champions League as well.
"Ha... We naturally assumed Chinese players would be excluded."
"The player drafting happening tomorrow is going to see some new twists."
Guild representatives holding the top 200 players all wore serious expres‐
sions. Excluding the People's Association and their players from the selec‐
tion, everyone expected the player selection to proceed as usual.
However, if negotiations had taken place between the Daegi Guild and the
People's Association, it might mean a reduction in the chances for American
First.
"If we oppose the Daegi guild's selection as the Guild of the Year..."
"Then like the People's Association was excluded, our guilds may be ex‐
cluded too."
"Besides, if the Daegi guild is included as the Guild of the Year, it will in‐
crease the number of random players getting drafted."
"There's no reason to oppose."
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⦘
Up to this point, the reactions of the other powerful guild representatives

were of the sort: 'It's unexpected, but not bad.'
But then.
"Furthermore... I propose to abolish the regulation that the Guild of the Year
cannot be vested consecutively and to exempt the Daegi guild from this reg‐
ulation."
The People's Association representative dropped another bombshell.
"What do you mean by abolishing the non-consecutive clause! Offering

such a privilege to just one guild! Does it mean that the Daegi guild could
be nominated again next year?"
The representative from American First stood up in shock, to which the rep‐
resentative from the People's Association looked back at him fiercely.
"Yes, that's right."
We won't be the only ones suffering.
You too should stay away from the Guild of the Year, stated the underlying
tit-for-tat mindset in the proposal of the People's Association.
Despite this, the representative eleg antly couched his argument.
"Look at the rankings of humanity included in the Space League. Despite

leading the first match to victory, We are currently in 10th place. The last
among the races that won a game."
After winning the first match against the Elves, humanity became co-first.
However, due to the fewer points earned by playing games on BattleNet
compared to other races, their rank steadily dropped. As of March, they
were in 10th place.
"This is not the time to fight among ourselves. We need to nurture players
and increase points earned from outside sources. For this, we need to
change the Association's regulations."
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⦘
He argued that the Daegi guild should be supported for a while to make
players stronger.
Having made a vicarious argument for the other side and retaking his seat,
the People's Association representative left the other guild leaders agape.
"Ha... I never imagined the representative of the People's Association would

say that."
"It does appear to be a counteraction against American First..."
"That high and mighty representative is now acting as a spokesperson for

other guilds. You really do see everything if you live long enough."
The representatives began to seriously consider the proposal of the People's

Association.
"... His intentions may seem dubious, but his argument isn't wrong. Indeed,
when compared to other races, there's a noticeable difference in humanity's
daily point earnings."
"That's true. How much stronger are these other species..."
"In fact, if the elves had utilized their full strength, it wouldn't have been
surprising to lose 3:0. The strange actions they took to try and exec ute us
ended up providing us with a chance to turn the tide."
"Plus, players belonging to the Daegi guild definitely suffer less from defeat
penalties. It's evident there's a significant difference in growth rates between
players affiliated with the Daegi guild and those who are not."
"The experience gain buff they have is substantial."
Even though the maximum level in BattleNet expanded to 250 over two
months of entering the main game, not many players achieved considerable
growth.
The reason being the penalty for not ranking in the upper 50 percent had be‐
come harsher than before.
300
⦘
One wrong move in the level-up race could lead to demotion rather than
progression in this punishing high-level game environment.
The lifeline for this issue was the various growth buffs offered by the Daegi
guild.
Thus, the developmental gap between players in the Daegi guild and those
not was more severe than people thought.
"While it's a bit much for the Daegi guild to monopolize the Guild of the
Year, but..."
"Until another guild with comparable growth potential emerges, wouldn't it

be appropriate to temporarily, say, a few years, confer the Guild of the
Year?"
"Right. Even if the Daegi guild is the Guild of the Year for a few more
years, it's not like Korea will win the Champions League, right?"
"You never know what Seong Jihan might do."
"Haha, is that so?"
Anyway, if the number of slots increases in Daegi Guild, there will be more
space for their players. While other prominent guild representatives posi‐
tively reacted to the People's Association's proposal, the representative of
American First vehemently opposed it.
"We cannot accept this proposal!"
Then, tauntingly, the People's Association representative rebuked.
Is that so? I will convey it to the Daegi Guild as well. If American First
strongly opposes it, this proposal will not be passed."
"...Ha. Are you threatening us right now?"
"No? Threatening you? Who on Earth could threaten American First? We

are simply conveying the facts about what happened today to the other side
301
⦘
without any deductions."
"When did the representative of the People's Association become a

spokesperson for another guild?"
"A spokesperson...! You're using harsh words!"
And thus, the representatives of the two major guilds, the US and China,
began a verbal dispute. In the end, the second agenda of the day did not
pass, but the first agenda, to award the Guild of the Year to the Daegi Guild,
was unanimously approved.
This fact was immediately highlighted in the media.
[The Daegi guild, the first Guild of the Year from South Korea!]
[The unexpected choice by the People's Association! The motivation in‐

cluded significant movements by the TOP 200 players.]
[The situation surrounding the Daegi Guild, the roles of the United States
and China reversed.]
Headlines in South Korea about the Daegi guild made waves.
The incident was even more shocking to people as the People's Association,
who opposed Seong Jihan before, now seemed to play an active spokesper‐
son's role.
-Wow... China defending the Daegi guild?
-There really is a first time for everything, haha.
-When Seong Jihan broadcasted demanding the Guild of the Year, didn't
they say they wouldn't accept it?
-Yeah, never thought they'd really hand it over haha.
Even for Koreans, Seong Jihan's broadcast seemed like an excessive de‐
mand, so people naturally assumed it would be diplomatically declined. But
302
⦘
the situation turned out differently.
-What changed their stance so drastically?
-Rumor has it that some Chinese players were planning to leave the Peo‐
ple's Association to create their own guild. Negotiating with the Daegi
Guild...
-Huh... Does that work in China?
-It's just a rumor, but considering how rapidly the Chinese players fell in the
rankings in the past two months, it seems possible.
-You guys should definitely watch the meeting later. The representatives of
the US and China will probab ly exchange blows and rap up a storm.
"Wow. Really... It was shocking today."
Yoon Seah looked at her phone on the sofa, still expressing disbelief.
"The People's Association siding with our guild, who would've thought."
"If they are excluded from nurturing at this time, they'll be at a loss."
"Well, but... I couldn't even imagine that it would turn out like that from
their side."
"The internal data must have been unusual."
As compared to foreign players belonging to the Daegi guild, Chinese play‐

ers were noticeably lagging in growth.
For them, too proud to even consider being a corpse without dignity, the ag‐
itation among the TOP 200 players was not something they could overlook.
Since BattleNet's entry into the main game, the importance of players had
always been crucial, but as time went on, their significance only soared.
303
⦘
Even if it meant twisting their pride, internal unfolding was likely consid‐
ered paramount.
'But to charge at American First like that right off the bat. 20 spots should
suffice.'
The People's Association that had lobbied for the Daegi guild beyond ex‐
pectations at the World BattleNet Association deserved some recognition.
So Seong Jihan decided to allocate a fair share of the slots to them.
He looked kindly at Yoon Seah.
"What's your level now?"
"Me? 220. Lately leveling up has been tough."
Yoon Seah furrowed her brows.
"Indeed, the skill levels of people have changed since Diam ond mid-tier.
They got stronger. And when matched with space races, most of the time,
they lose... Why are the extraterrestrial races so strong?"
"Still, such struggle has actually made you grow quite a bit."
"Probab ly because of our guild effect and robust growth trait... Even if I
lose, just one win gets me back on my feet."
Players around Yoon Seah's level often ended up losing out or barely main‐
taining their level even with a 1:1 win-loss ratio.
But with both guild effects and the robust growth trait, she was displaying a
remarkable growth effect even with low win rates.
However, now that she had slowed down a bit after initially skyrocketing,
she felt frustrated.
"Inventory."
304
⦘
Seong Jihan opened his inventory and handed over the bow he had bought
from Artemus.
A longbow swirling with a pure white light, clearly extraordinary at first

glance.
Yoon Seah's eyes sparkled at the sight.
"Hey, this bow... What is this?"
"Got it from Artemus's forge. It's SS grade for now, but it evolves with the
owner. Try using it."
"Oh, uncle...!! A bow that grows with the owner!!"
Trembling, Yoon Seah received the radiant longbow Seong Jihan handed to
her.
"Wow... The option to grow together is so good!! Except for the name
[Artemus's Bow], everything is to my liking!"
"Yeah. Use it well and level up quickly."
"Yeah! But... Is this really expensive? How much is it, by the way? I'll pay
you back if I succeed!"
"It's 20 billion GP."
"......Huh?"
Yoon Seah blinked.
20 billion... GP?
"U-uncle. Wait a minute. Why is a bow 20 billion GP...!"
"Why? It can reach SSS-grade or even higher."
"Well, even if that's the case... R-refund it right away! It's an absurd price!"
305
⦘
"Uncle, you have a lot of money. Just use it."
"Well, still...!"
As Yoon Seah panicked and tried to hand the bow back to Seong Jihan,
[Boss! The World BattleNet Association contacted us!]
Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
The doorbell rang from the wall pad, and the face of Lee Hayeon ap‐
peaSeongred.
[The Daegi guild has been selected as the Guild of the Year, and they are
asking you to grace the event in New York...]
"To New York? When am I supposed to go that far? They can come here."
[Ah, but... they say they've already dispatched a private jet for you...]
Seeing Lee Hayeon's troubled expression, Seong Jihan let out a slight sigh.
Rejecting their request so bluntly was perhaps too discourteous for the As‐
sociation.
"Alright. I'll go and come back quickly."
Seong Jihan accepted the trip to New York with the thought of quickly re‐
turning after receiving the Guild of the Year award.
Meanwhile,
"Oh..."
A woman's eyes sparkled as she read the news that Seong Jihan would be
attending the Guild of the Year cerem
ony.
"Seong Jihan... Is he finally coming out from there?"
306
⦘
Unlike Longinus and Dongbang sak, who wanted to educate Seong Jihan,
her main goal was prophecy.
And for her, prophecy could be performed without necessarily clashing on

BattleNet.
'This opportunity shouldn't be missed. I must go and see.'
Educating him on BattleNet could come later; for now, she needed to focus
on her prophecy.
With these thoughts, Pythia smiled gently.
***
***
307
⦘
Chapter 225
***
***
Inside the BattleNet Association's private jet.
Sitting in the seat behind Seong Jihan, Lee Hayeon, with a puzzled expres‐
sion, struck up a conversation with him.
"Come to think of it, isn't Seah coming with us? I thought you said she
would join us."
"I gave her a pretty expensive bow as a gift. She's determined to pay back
her debt through leveling up since I told her no returns are allowed."
"How expensive could a bow be that she's thinking about refunds?"
"20 billion GP."
"...20 billion? In GP?"
To Seong Jihan's response, Lim Gayeong, seated next to Lee Hayeon, in‐
stinctively retorted.
It's not won but GP?
Considering the current exchange rate of 1 GP being approximately 2.5 dol‐

lars, that bow was effectively costing 50 billion dollars.
308
⦘
"Even so, isn't that excessive for a weapon... Even The Sword King's SSS-
grade twin swords, Ganjang and Makya, wouldn't cost that much, would
they?"
"When you try to get them, they can name any price. You should buy SSS-
grade weapons if you have money."
"Well, that's true, but..."
Such huge figures felt surreal, leaving Lee Hayeon and Lim Gayeong to just
look at each other bewildered.
Then, as if something dawned on Seong Jihan, he added, "Oh, also with the
upgrade of Phoenix Flag, we've got a +3 increase to our guild level, so let's
add 15 more slots to the random drawing."
"It went up again from SSS...?"
"Yes, Artemus did a good job. It's now SSS+."
Wait, there's also a grade called SSS+?
Thank goodness this person is on the same side.
"Ah, I have a present for you too, Hayeon."
"For me?"
"Here."
Seong Jihan handed over all the Akashic pages he had confiscated from
Shizuru before.
He had given one page to Christopher, leaving him with nine remaining
Akashic Pages.
In case they might be useful later, he kept them for now.
'If I need them later, I can just buy them.'
309
⦘
Following the auction sale of the Palace of Pleasure invitation, Seong Jihan
became quite the spendthrift.
No need to hold onto something you could simply buy with money.
"Oh, the Akashic pages...!"
"I can't give you 100 of them like American First did. Still, I've accumu‐
lated these over time. Let's aim for SSS-grade."
"Alright, thank you!"
Lee Hayeon stood up promptly, nervously taking the golden pages.
After entering the main game, the value of the supporting gift 'Nurturing'
had once again soared, hitting the daily limit, with Akashic Pages selling for
high prices in the auction house.
Having nine of them was like having a treasure.
"Miss, would you mind tearing half of that for me?"
"No chance. We're aiming for SSS-grade."
Hayeon tightly clenched the Akashic Page.
Then, a brilliant golden light burst forth from the Akashic Page.
Looking at the system message that followed the same phenomen on as

when the Nurturing gift was upgraded before, Hayeon's eyes sparkled.
[To increase the gift grade, you need to grow more players.]
[Grow one of your guild members to rank 1 within the race.]
Swallowing her disappointment as she read the following system message,

Hayeon accepted it.
"Ah... It won't go straight to SSS. Conditions are given."
310
⦘
"What conditions?"
"It says I need to nurture more players, and make one guild member reach
rank 1 in our race."
"Hmm, the latter conditions will be quickly satisfied. I'm here, after all."
"That's true."
Seong Jihan spoke as if he had naturally left the rank 1 position for himself.
If it were any other player, it might have seemed out of place for him to
speak as if he knew everything, but when Seong Jihan said it, there was no
awkwardness at all.
"I'll also practice for a while then."
Seong Jihan opened his inventory and took out a Sunstone---a bright,
sparkling white stone. Inside it, there was a peculiar light that exuded the
unique aura that belonged to Artmus.
'I'm not feeling this one.'
Until now, whenever he was uncertain, absorbing it into his body and ana‐
lyzing it usually helped find some clues. However, the light energy within
the Sunstone, once absorbed into the body, lost its uniqueness and trans‐
formed into ordinary mana light, making it impossible for Seong Jihan to
find any clues.
'There's a lot to do, so I'll have to look into this when I have some time.'
Seong Jihan put the Sunstone back into his inventory and took out Eclipse,
now named the Shadow of Life.
A black sword with a central green emerald-like gem embedded in it. When
he drew the sword, a voice echoed from within.
[...Master. Can you please remove this? Since it transformed into the
Shadow of Life, I've felt an identity crisis.]
311
⦘
"An identity crisis? It's an upgrade. It's an upgrade. Besides, the Shadow
Queen seemed to be suggesting something like this, right?"
[Uh... That may be so, but it's troubling me. Oh. The Queen asked if it's
okay to sponsor you as her constellation once Hideout ends.]
A sponsorship from the Shadow Queen's constellation.
This was of substantial use to Seong Jihan.
'If she becomes my backing constellation, my gift grade would rise too.'
Seong Jihan's current gift was an SS-grade 'Moon's Shadow.'
While this gift amplifying shadow power didn't hold much significance in
the current circumstances for Seong Jihan, who handled Void and Martial
Soul, an upgrade to SSS would probab ly find some use.
"Why is she asking to sponsor after Hideout ends though?"
[The Queen is worried that your information might leak to the World Tree
Alliance. She is concerned.]
Seong Jihan asked with a puzzled expression, "Aren't Shadow Elves and the
World Tree Alliance enem
ies? How could information leak?"
[...Internal surveillance isn't perfect.]
It seemed there were some complicated circumstances on that side too.

Seong Jihan nodded.
"Got it. Then, I'll accept the sponsorship after the hideout is over.]
[Ugh. To think that the Constellation has to ask a player for sponsorship...
it's really...]
While Ariel lamented the reversed roles between constellation and player,
"Boss, it's now March 2nd in Korean time. Shall we proceed with the ran‐
dom draw for guild members?"
312
⦘
"Already? Let's do it."
Having sighed and then stood up from a nap at the back, Hayeon informed
them of the date change.
The root cause of the recent uproar, the random draw for guild members,
was about to take place.
"Should we start the BattleTube?"
"Yes. Let's do it here."
The first random draw for the Daegi guild took place inside the airplane.
[The Daegi guild's BattleTube broadcast onboard the private jet breaks all-
time viewership records for guild-related content!]
[Rank 1 Oliver is eliminated, and Je Galheon joins! Will the ranking of

Mage change in the future?]
[Where is the limit of the Daegi guild's acceptance of guild members? Half
of the top 200 are members of the Daegi guild.]
[In light of the Guild of the Year award, the Daegi guild recognizes TO. 20
players from the People's Association receive buffs from the Daegi guild.]
[Heavenly Demon, Wang Lin finally joins the Daegi guild, posting a mes‐
sage of excitement before hastily deleting it.]
Seong Jihan continued to make headlines from the sky, and the world's at‐
tention was fixed on him.
"We finally arrived."
Even after Seong Jihan landed, far from diminishing, the attention on him
only intensified.
Inside the BattleNet Building in New York, there was a hall of glory where
the Guild of the Year cerem ony took place each year. In the past, the hall
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had been relatively empty during these cerem onies, as the American First
and People's Association took turns selecting the Guild of the Year.
However, this year was different.
=It's the first time I've seen so many people gathered for the Guild of the
Year cerem ony.
=Wasn't the crowd like this even during the selection of the world's Bat‐
tleNet MVP?
=It seems even more crowded this time. Look at the seats and the stairs---
they're filled with people!
When it came to selecting the most famous BattleNet player among the
gaming community, Seong Jihan undoubtedly held that title.
With his victory in the final set of the Space League's first match, witnessed
by over billions of viewers, the scene had turned the tides of the game com‐
pletely.
Despite his fame, Seong Jihan had kept a low profile in terms of public ap‐
pearances, making people curious to catch a glimpse of the extraordinary
player.
This year, with Seong Jihan's participation in the Guild of the Year cere‐
mony, the once-sparsely filled Hall of Glory instantly became packed.
"Waiting here after the news broke was a good decision..."
"Nick, I apologize for dismissing your crazy talk earlier. Look over there.
Even celebrities are sitting on the stairs!"
"Uh, our professor is also there..."
"Hey, don't look over there. He might ask for your seat."
Various figures from different fields had come to witness the world's top
BattleNet player. Nick and his friends couldn't find seats and ended up sit‐
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ting on the stairs, observing the celebrities who had joined them.
They noticed their professor amidst the chaos and quickly averted their
gaze, wondering how he managed to get into the bustling Hall of Glory, al‐
ways complaining about his bad back and knees.
Then, a commotion arose inside the hall, and a person began walking to‐
wards the stage from within.
[My goodness! What on earth is happening! Is today the MVP selection

day?]]
The host inside the Hall of Glory, gesturing dramatically, scanned the audi‐
ence and appeared exaggeratedly surprised. On closer inspection, the host
turned out to be a familiar face frequently featured in the news.
"Hey... isn't that the Association President?"
"Huh? Is it really him? President Jeff?"
"Why is the Association President hosting a social event like this?"
"No, more importantly, how did the Association President manage to attend
in this chaos?"
[Oh, there are even more people than on MVP selection day! The crowd
wasn't this packed when Oliver won MVP! Oh, my friend Beasley, the pres‐
ident, is squeezing in on the stairs! Sorry, buddy. As much as I'm the presi‐
dent here, pre-reserved seats can't be offered! We operate on a first-come-
first-serve basis here!]
The BattleNet Association President, Jeff, joked about the situation, point‐
ing to a man sitting on the stairs.
Though it would typically be laughed off, the atmosphere among the people
today was charged.
"A lot of useless chatter."
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"Quickly bring in Seong. I didn't come here to see this geezer!"
Booo...! Boohoo...!
As Nick's group started a chorus of boos, the echo quickly spread through
the entire audience.
[Ah, I understand. If I say one more word here, I might get impeached!
Now, let me introduce today's protagonist right away!]
President Jeff, miming sweat wiping, gestured towards the inner area.
[The owner of the Daegi guild, player Seong Jihan!]
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
A thunderous round of applause erupted.
People who had been sitting on the stairs stood up to cheer.
And as Seong Jihan emerged from within,
"Wow...!"
"There he is, the real Seong Jihan!"
"Take his pictures!"
Everyone lifted their phones to snap pictures as flashes exploded from all
corners.
Though photography was prohibited beforehand, it seemed forgotten by the

enthusiastic crowd.
"You can't go in!"
"Stop them!"
Rumble, rumble...!
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⦘
The front of the audience hall already descended into chaos as crowd mem‐
bers tried to rush in, with bodyguards scrambling to maintain order.
Taken aback at the pandemonium that ensued just as Seong Jihan appeared,
the usually nonchalant President Jeff made an anxious face.
[This is... It seems like we're at a rock concert rather than the Guild of the
Year cerem ony! Please stay calm, everyone! If you can keep your seats until
the cerem
ony, I promise we'll also have an autograph session with Player
Seong Jihan!]
"An autograph session?"
"Uh, sir, there might be a safety issue if we continue like this... How about
having a short autograph session? Please?"
Taking the microphone away, Jeff, with a small voice, earnestly pleaded for
a brief autograph session. They should have controlled the situation from
the beginning, but due to the President's eagerness for attention, the Hall of
Glory had exceeded its capacity, leading to chaos.
'Hmm.'
Seong Jihan glanced around.
"Autograph!"
"Autograph!"
The audience, who had momentarily stopped causing trouble, now united in
shouting for autographs. The enthusiastic cries, not discriminating against
age or gender, made even the onlookers feel the fervor.
It had been a long time since Seong Jihan experienced such a public re‐
sponse since his American First days in his previous life. Back then, he had
to painfully sign each autograph one by one.
"Why wait to do it later? Let's do it now."
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[Right now...?]
There was no need for that anymore.
"Yes."
Swoosh!
Shadows arose from Seong Jihan's left arm.
"Hold on in your seats for a moment, please."
No sooner had he spoken than the shadow spread in an instant, engulfing

the entire Hall of Glory.
"Uh..."
"What the... I can't see!"
The audience stirred, thinking it was a blackout.
But then...
Crackle, crackle...
They felt an unusual sensation on their clothes, on their shoulders, before...
Flash!
The light returned.
"I have finished signing for everyone. All done."
Seong Jihan said, tapping his left arm lightly.
Suddenly, the audience's gaze turned towards their own clothes.
"Huh..."
"I-It's really a signature!"
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"Wow. It's exactly the same as yours?"
"Wow. How did he do this...!"
Seong Jihan's signature was engraved on everyone's clothes.
People stared at him with astonished faces, as if witnessing something su‐

pernatural. While they had admired Seong Jihan's remarkable performance
in the BattleNet, actually experiencing his power firsthand left them in awe.
However...
Only one person remained unfazed. Sitting at the front of the Hall of Glory,
an Asian woman's left arm was devoid of Seong Jihan's signature.
'This girl. Is she worth considering?'
She tenderly stroked her left arm as her eyes ignited with an unusual glow.
'How about I try predicting your future...'
A mysterious light began to flicker.
***
***
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Chapter 226
***
***
"That was truly amazing just now!"
After the Guild of the Year cerem

ony concluded, Association President Jeff
was at a dinner with Seong Jihan, exuberantly praising him and spitting out
in excitement.
"To sign like that for the audience in the Hall of Glory...! I've met numerous
players, but no one could control their power so precisely like you!"
Jeff, who always attended the Guild of the Year awards to hand out prizes,
had met more top-tier players around the world than anyone else. However,
no one had shown him power like Seong Jihan.
'Anyone could cause harm to all of the audience in the hall, but...'
In the case of the world's top-ranked mage, for example, using a grand spell
could set the entire hall ablaze if possible.
But leaving a precise signature on each person's left arm was a different tale
entirely.
It meant that control of power had reached a realm of maturity far beyond
what top-tier players were capable of.
"It's nothing special."
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"Haha, you even humble yourself. Coach Davis, what did you think of the
performance just now?"
Davis, the Earth's team coach who was present at the banquet, enthusiasti‐
cally gave a thumbs up.
"It was amazing. Seong Jihan is truly exceptional!"
Because Seong Jihan had, thanks to his actions, turned the tide in the open‐
ing game against the Elves, the coach was naturally favorable towards him.
And then, "Mr. Seong Jihan, did you know about the next Space League
match scheduled for a week from now?"
"A week from now, already."
Today, he had to make an uncomfortable request to Seong Jihan.
"There's a favor related to that match I'd like to ask..."
"A favor?"
"Yes... Mr. Seong Jihan. You're aware you're currently ranked 11th in the
world?"
World player rankings.
Levels were the foremost metric for these rankings, along with other com‐
bined metrics, the final score determined one's place.
Seong Jihan's prowess was now uncontestably recognized as humanity's

strongest by people worldwide. However, up until now, due to his lower
level, he hadn't been placed in a befitting rank.
'But already the 11th?'
Though the experience earned by Hidden Boss Seong Jihan was consider‐
able, it was still a shockingly high placement considering all TOP 200 play‐
ers had surpassed level 250.
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⦘
"11th place... I haven't checked the world rankings specifically, so I didn't

know, but it's higher than I expected, especially since I'm not yet level 250."
"Level is the most important evaluation criterion, but everyone believes it's
underestimating you considering the achievements you have accumulated.
11th is considered very low by everyone."
Davis slightly hesitated to continue.
"However... from a coach's standpoint, this 11th place... it's absolutely cru‐
cial."
"Is it because of the ban card?"
"Yes. It's expected that the opponent's race will use the ban cards that apply
to the top 1-10 most extensively."
During the last match, the Elves refrained from using them for malicious in‐
tent. Normally, 1-10 ban cards were the most useful.
When the opposing race was to draw a card, whether Seong Jihan was af‐
fected was crucial for the position of the Earth's team coach.
"...So could you remain in the 11th spot only until next week? I kindly ask
that you refrain from playing games for just this week!"
Davis, who never bowed to players while in American First, understood the
importance of the Space League being much greater than any national com‐
petition.
He earnestly pleaded, bowing to Seong Jihan.
'This match is... against the Orcs, right?'
The Orcs, whom Seong Jihan had encountered during his promotion to dia‐
mond, disappeared from the rankings after revealing their true strength.
Though the race was currently at the bottom at 20th place, they weren't en‐
tirely weak.
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Especially,
'Before the exec ution by the Elves, the core Orc players were quite strong.'
The Orc warriors dominated the then-strongest human warriors, leading to

victory.
After humanity faced two consecutive defeats and confirmed their bottom
standing amidst increasing dungeons, the Orcs expected to reach the mid-
tiers with a win and a loss.
However, after consecutive losses facing the World Tree Elves, and the Orc
warriors being exec uted, they stayed in lower ranks just like humanity.
'Regardless of competing in releg ation, the current Orcs are not to be taken
lightly.'
Seong Jihan assessed and lightly nodded to the coach's request.
"Okay. I'll try to slow down the leveling as much as I can."
"Thank you so much...!"
"But I can't stop Hidden Boss Seong Jihan from earning experience."
"I'll send out a global notice to all diam

ond players to refrain from raiding
Seong Jihan for a week. Also, could you take players ranked 7th, 8th, 9th,
and 10th into the Daegi guild just for a while?"
"That'll work."
Seong Jihan agreed, brightening Davis's mood.
"It must've been a tough choice, but thank you for listening to my re‐
quest...!"
"It's extraordinary to see a player competing for the top voluntarily halt
their own leveling up, all for humanity... truly, Seong Jihan is a role model
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for all BattleNet players. On behalf of the association, we will award a spe‐
cial prize after the game."
Jeff, like he was waiting for the opportunity, began to talk about a reward
from the side.
"Ah. Well, why not take a good rest during this week instead? The U.S. is
full of places to see. Enjoy some sightseeing and then continue on to the
Space League, later to receive a special award in the Hall of Glory."
Seong Jihan chuckled.
Famous tourist spots in the U.S.
He had already visited all the places worth visiting in his past life.
There's no need to waste time.
"No, I must prepare for the match. Please bring any rewards to me in Korea
from now on."
"Ah. But, coming to Korea... that is..."
"Yes. Time spent idly in the sky is too much. If it's challenging for you to
come, you don't have to."
A player who suggests the president of the BattleNet Association come de‐
liver the award himself. Jeff, who once had an impulsive character, didn't
change his pleasant smile.
"Not at all. Of course, I must come. The opportunity to present an award to

Seong Jihan is an honor!"
After seeing Seong Jihan's omnipotent signature move in the Hall of Glory,
Jeff had no thoughts of pulling rank over him.
"Then, shall I arrange the private jet again for tomorrow?"
"Let's just go after the meal, then."
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At Seong Jihan's words, Jeff nodded and reached for his phone. But, "Um...
Mr. Seong Jihan. Could we not return home today? It's not so long ago we
crossed the Pacific... could we rest for just a day?"
Lee Hayeon, who had joined for the meal, pleaded in surprise.
"We will leave tomorrow."
He postponed the return by a day.
Given Lee Hayeon was an ordinary person, the schedule had been tough.
"Okay. Then I will make arrangements for the private jet for tomorrow."
Thus, Jeff took personal charge, rearranging the schedule.
After the banquet ended, Seong Jihan's party spent the next day at the top
hotel provided by the Association.
'It's been a while since I've been here.'
New York, which was almost his second home for Seong Jihan.
The room provided by the Association was where he used to stay during his
days as American First's warrior.
Looking around the lavish room, he reminisced for a moment, when sud‐
denly, Knock! Knock!
There was an unexpected knock at the door.
"I'll come in. Mr. Seong Jihan."
A woman's voice announced her entrance without asking permission. The

door turned transparent as she strode in.
Seong Jihan turned his head towards her, raising his eyebrows.
"You are... the one who avoided the signature earlier."
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⦘
He had dominated the entire Hall of Glory with his shadow realm.
Though he had signed for everyone, the one person sitting in the front row
vanished just as he attempted to sign on her shoulder.
'An unusual existence. It seems she came right away.'
Hearing Seong Jihan's words, the woman smiled as if delighted.
"Hehe. That's right. You have a good sense. A usable one... You seem fit to
become the nemesis of the Martial god..."
"...Nemesis of Martial god?"
Hearing the term "Martial god," Seong Jihan gazed at the woman with deep
eyes.
"Are you also one of the people of Martial god?"
"Yes. The fourth disciple of the Martial god... the prophet, Nostradamus."
"...Nostradamus?"
"Yes. I've operated under various names throughout human history, but my
last alias was Nostradamus. If my name is too long, you can call me
Pythia."
The woman smiled playfully, exploring around the room as if it were her
own.
"Nice room~ Can I lie down on the bed?"
Before waiting for permission, Pythia jumped onto the bed.
"Wow, it's so soft!"
Chuckling at her antics, Seong Jihan felt a bit more at ease.
What's her deal?
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⦘
"Disciple of the Martial god, Just say what you need to say and get up."
"Can't I just talk lying down? It's your fault that I woke up from a good
sleep."
"...Could you explain in a way that I can understand?"
"Ah. Was that too out of context? After you freed the Witch of the Void, I
saw a prophecy that I had to become the new Witch of the Void to oversee
the apocalypse. So, I woke up."
"...Witch of the Void? My sister and you are related?"
As Seong Jihan stared at her in surprise at the mention of the Witch of the
Void, "Hm..."
Pythia sat up in bed, pointing her finger at him.
"Now... let the prophecy begin!"
Her eyes kept blinking as if they were camera flashes.
For a moment, she gazed at Seong Jihan, then she hammered the bed with
her fist.
"Ah... why doesn't it work? Is it because of the Marital God's restrictions?"
"Marital God's restrictions? So you're in the same case as Longinus?"
"Yes. I couldn't come in my original form. Oh, Was there a case like this
only with our master... Could your Void be the reason? Or perhaps, are you
something like a kin of the martial god?"
The prophetess inquired if the prediction failing was due to him.
Seong Jihan furrowed his brow at this fourth-dimensional behavior.
"Why do you ask me if the prophecy did not pass? Besides, tell me more
about the Witch of the Void."
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⦘
"About that? It's no big deal. If the Witch of the Void is your sister, it's a bad
ending, but... do you want me to tell you?"
"...A bad ending?"
"Yeah. You struggled with a monster to save her, utilized the power of the
void too much, and nearly got sucked in. The Witch of the Void finally frees
herself only to sacrifice herself for you."
Calmly sharing the details of her prophecy, Pythia frowned at the part
where the Witch of the Void disappeared.
"So! They dragged me to oversee the apocalypse! Why would I even do

something like that?"
"Me sucked into the void..."
"It's hard to believe a word of a martial god's kin, right? You don't have to
believe it. Prophecies aren't always right, after all."
She flashed a significant smile.
"But non-believers always end up fulfilling the prophecy."
"...."
The fourth disciple of the Martial god suddenly burst in, dropping
metaphorical bombs.
"Ah, maybe this way the prophecy will come true?"
Flash! Flash!
Drawing a square with her fingers, Pythia attempted her lights again.
"Ah. Doesn't work! Then let's do this!"
Now painting a triangle in the air, Seong Jihan thought.
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⦘
'She may seem out of her mind... but what she said just now is too disturb‐
ing to dismiss as madness.'
The martial god, the Witch of the Void, the kin of martial god...
These were things that only someone from the wandering martial god's side
would know, and she spoke of them too easily.
To tell her to stop spouting nonsense and leave would mean foregoing that
information.
'But if I keep letting her lead, she'll have the upper hand.'
Seong Jihan wondered how not to be swayed by this whimsical woman, re‐
membering that she introduced herself as the 'Fourth Disciple'.
'The first and second martial arts techniques associated with the Annihila‐
tion God's Secrets were connected to Longinus and Dongbang Sak.'
Could the fourth martial art also be related to her?
'Even though I wasn't powerful enough to use it before... this may be my

chance.'
Seong Jihan hadn't been able to use the fourth of the Annihilation God's Se‐
cret during his time as a martial god in his previous life, but could infer its
attribute name.
The attribute of the fourth technique was water.
Seong Jihan asked her.
"Being a prophet is your ability, but why is your power associated with wa‐
ter?"
"Click, click! ...What? Water?"
Pythia, who had been making clicking noises suddenly stunned, "...No? I'm
all about fire. I should be bringing great disasters..."
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⦘
Her pupils twitched at Seong Jihan's comment.
Then,
Unlike before, a blue light seeped from her eyes.
"Uh... but it seems right... doesn't it?"
***
***
330
⦘
Chapter 227
***
***
Pythia's eyes turned blue.
From her body, a cold chill began to emanate.
"...It's really true."
The response that appeared right after hearing Seong Jihan's single question
about why her powers were related to water.
Pythia, looking at her own body, contorted her face in confusion.
"You... How did you know that? I didn't even know about it myself."
"I wonder."
"...I thought it was strange when you used the powers of Longinus and
Dongbang Sak, but this is completely unexpected. Their powers matched
their karma exactly, but the power you revealed to me is different from my
karma."
"Karma... what exactly is your karma?"
"Prophecy. [In the Year 1999, the seventh month, from the sky will come a
great King of Terror]... that kind of thing."
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⦘
Hearing one of Nostradamus's most famous prophecies, Seong Jihan

sneered slightly.
"Ah, you said you were Nostradamus, right? Why didn't the world end in
1999?"
"End? That prophecy wasn't about the end. The right to see the final
prophecy was taken by the Martial God."
"And?"
"That's a BattleNet story. There is a 10-year margin of error... I mean, that

can happen, right?"
Pythia winked slyly, leaving Seong Jihan frowning.
BattleNet as the great King of Terror?
'Well, the end would make sense.'
In his previous life, humanity had indeed perished because of BattleNet.
Although Pythia claimed she didn't predict the end herself, it was true that
BattleNet performed the role of the King of Terror.
"Tell me. How did you know about my power that even I am unaware of?
And what exactly is that power?"
"Why would I tell someone like the Disciple of the Martial God?"
"Of course, I don't expect you to tell me for free. I'll provide you some in‐
formation, too."
"Information?"
"Yes. Shall I tell you the names of the two disciples who are currently
sleeping? They are people you'll be quite shocked to hear about."
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⦘
Longinus, Dongbang Sak, and now Nostradamus, who was standing before
him---the Martial God disciples always had rather notorious names.
However, Seong Jihan wasn't particularly interested in the other two.
To him, it was not about the disciples but about the master.
His greatest focus was on the 'Wandering Martial God' with whom he
would eventually have to battle over the Martial Soul.
"No, that's okay. Instead, if you tell me about the identity of the Martial
God, I'd consider it."
"The identity of the Martial God...? I'm curious myself too. You, like the
Martial God, seem immune to my prophecies."
"Prophecies don't work on me and the Martial God?"
"Yes. It's completely dark. Perhaps because of the Void? I could only glean
a little from your sister's future... but with the Martial God, I can't see any
related details to consider at all."
"Then you... aren't much use, are you?"
As Seong Jihan spoke, Pythia puffed out her cheeks.
"That's too harsh! Really! Can't you fulfill a delicate girl's little wish?"
"Granny, stop pretending to be a girl."
"What, what? Granny?"
"When were you ever a contemporary person? You are hierarchically higher
than a great-granny, right?"
"Wow... I'm speechless. Can't believe I'm being called granny.'"
Though her face turned red and she fanned herself, Pythia could offer no re‐
tort to Seong Jihan's factual assault.
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⦘
"Alright. This ancient granny will do you a favor. Will you tell me then?"
"Ancient granny?"
"The Wandering Martial God took me during my time as a priestess in the

Temple of Delphi, so yeah, it's been a while. As you said, I am a granny
among grannies, well over 2000 years old."
"You have lived quite a long time."
"So, will you be generous enough to fulfill an old woman's request?"
"I'm not the kind to give in just because someone is older. It's strictly give
and take with me."
"...Ahh, really. Prophecy doesn't work on you, so I have nothing to give..

Just ask and I can answer."
Frustrated, Pythia thumped her chest.
"Then leave if you have nothing to offer."
"Ah, please! Just tell me. I'm dying to know about my hidden powers! My
abilities related to the water elem
ent! I always thought they were about
fire!"
As Seong Jihan dismissed her, Pythia threw a fit on the bed.
It was unconsciously irritating to watch a woman of her age behave like

that.
'She's really curious about her abilities.'
Seong Jihan decided to use her curiosity to extract information from her.
"What's the Martial God doing now?"
"He's on his star. Haven't you been there once?"
334
⦘
"Yeah, when I awakened the Martial Soul."
"From there, I acted as his guide, and he's flying to the Thunder God Con‐
stellation now."
Flying to the Thunder God. This must have been when Brahma was being
suppressed.
Seong Jihan nodded, continuing his questioning.
"Why did you become one of the Martial God's disciples?"
"When Apollo tried to take my prophetic ability and blinded me, the Martial
God appeared and saved me. In return, he took the ability to see humanity's
end."
"Apollo? The sun god, Apollo?"
"Yes."
"What does the Martial God look like?"
"I don't know. I can't see his face. But... his body is much bigger than
yours."
"What about the Martial God's martial arts?"
"A single swing of his hand can split the world."
"Any weaknesses?"
"A weakness? He's a god who can shatter planets single-handedly."
Seong Jihan asked various other questions, but no particularly useful infor‐
mation came out.
'It seems the Martial God is just incredibly powerful.'
335
⦘
The Martial God showcasing his powers across his constellations, hunting
constellations---at this point, he's even advancing to subdue the mighty
Brahma.
"Alright. Are you done with your questions? Can you tell me now?"
"No. It's not informative enough."
"Ahh! You said it was give and take, right? How are we supposed to go for‐
ward if you only take?!"
"You need to give something of decent value."
"Ugh..."
Having boldly offered information, perhaps she knew too little.
Seong Jihan pondered what he could ask her that would be worthwhile.
'Ah, perhaps.'
An idea struck him.
"Do you... by any chance, know the name of the Martial God's martial
arts?"
Nameless Divine Arts.
With the skill grade reaching SS, a peculiar condition had been added.
Either remodel the three techniques to fit oneself, or reveal the true name of
Nameless Divine Arts to awaken the skill completely.
'I've been wrong about the crimson thunder.'
He ambitiously pursued crimson thunder, thinking it might be connected to

him and failed.
336
⦘
Now, he had only one chance left.
So far, without any hints, he dared not attempt this last chance.
But this time was different.
"The Martial God's... arts name?"
"Yes. If you tell me that, I'll tell you about your power."
"A name? Not sure if there's a distinct one... Whenever he swings his hand,
the world splits apart. Oh, but, considering the Martial Gods' disciple's use
of powers, there does appear to be a system..."
Pythia fell deep into thought.
"XX Divine Arts. What do you think fits in XX?"
"Divine art...Nameless Divine Art lacks one letter, and...Bangmu Nameless

Divine Art?"
"What's Bangmu?"
"A short form for the 'Wandering Martial God.'"
"That doesn't seem like the right answer."
"I think so too."
She quickly agreed and blinked her eyes, like when she tried to prophes ize
about Seong Jihan earlier.
Then,
Ziiing...
A hologram formed before her, and a man's face appeared.
337
⦘
With brown curly hair and a long beard, the man carried a weary complex‐
ion on his weathered skin.
"Who is this?"
"The Martial God's fifth disciple. He'll be fighting the Martial God in the
future, so I tried to get a clue."
Flash! Flash!
As she prophes ized the man, Pythia addressed Seong Jihan, "Are you not
curious about this man's identity? How about we trade for this man's name
instead of an uncertain martial arts name?"
"That's okay. I'm more curious about the name of the martial arts than some
Middle Eastern guys."
"Wow. How did you know he was from the Middle East?"
Looking at his complexion and demeanor and having said so, it turned out it
was true.
Who could it be?
As Seong Jihan pondered,
"Hm. Hm... Of course, he's the one who will oppose the Martial God in the
future."
Pythia nodded to herself upon seeing something, then capturing her bright
gaze.
"This might be a hint. [Martial God... indeed, you are invincible. The com‐
plete set of humanity's information, the Fundamental Divine Arts... Even if I
am ultimately human, I cannot surpass it.]."
"Ho."
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⦘
In the future Pythia saw, there was a battle between the fifth disciple and the
Martial God.
And it seemed he had left those words as a legacy.
Seong Jihan focused on the term 'Fundamental Divine Arts.'
'Fundamental Divine Arts...'
The two characters that fit into XX.
It seemed like he had found the answer.
"So, what could the two characters be? Fundamental origin martial arts?
Human martial arts? First martial arts?"
"Be quiet. Let me guess the correct answer."
"Was there even a correct answer?"
"Yes. If it's correct, I'll tell you."
Seong Jihan hushed the babbling Pythia then opened the skill window and
clicked on Nameless Divine Arts.
[Would you like to guess the true name of Nameless Divine Arts?]
[The true name is composed of two characters.]
[You are given your last chance.]
"Fundamental Divine Arts."
And then,
[You have revealed the true name of Nameless Divine Arts.]
Nameless Divine Arts will now be elev ated to an SSS+ grade as 'Funda‐
mental Divine Arts'.]
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"Oh... really?"
The system declared it as the correct answer.
Seong Jihan immediately turned to read the new skill description.
[Fundamental Divine Arts]
Skill Grade: SSS+
-- The ancient martial power of the Martial God since creation.
-- Its true name has been discovered, unleashing its original capabilities.
-- With the constraints of Nameless Divine Arts entirely lifted, all of hu‐
manity's martial arts ultimately converge on Fundamental Martial Arts,
leading to innate acquisition of all human martial practices.
-- However, its origin lies with the Wandering Martial God, and thus, the
skill is graded below EX to reflect this.
-- If one acquires all of the Annihilation God's Secret Techniques and awak‐
ens their ultimate form, they can discover a new name for the martial arts,
elev ating it to EX grade.
All martial arts of humanity converging into one...
Seong Jihan was astounded by the unprecedented capabilities of Fundamen‐

tal Divine Arts.
Just by deducing the right two characters, can it be this good?
'Of course, the Martial God stands at EX grade, while I am one step lower...'
but the fact that it culminates all of humanity's martial arts and imparts wis‐
dom was an immense power.
'I might be able to use the third Technique of the Annihilation Series with
just a little more growth.'
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⦘
Until now, he had not dared to attempt the third Technique of the Annihila‐
tion Series, but it was now within reach.
And on top of that...
'The fourth Technique of the Annihilation Series, related to the water ele‐
ment, now seems possible.'
Perhaps because he had met its true owner, Pythia, for the fourth Technique.
It appeared more accessible than the third.
Then,
[The owner of Fundamental Divine Arts, the 'Wandering Martial God,' is

watching you.]
A new system message popped up.
"Uh... Sir, about this..."
[No further chatter is permitted. Return.]
A stern voice echoed from the star---an indistinct language, yet perfectly
understood by Seong Jihan.
"Ah, generous! Thank you so much!"
It seemed like Pythia was also conservative, saluting before hurriedly leav‐
ing the room.
[You have awakened faster than expected. But if you become complacent
now... you will ultimately become part of me.]
Part of him.
Like in Seong Jihan's dream, where he was absorbed by the Martial God---
was there a connection?
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He twisted his lip into a sneer, replying to the Martial God.
"As if I'd be satisfied with just this. You still have to overcome me."
[Good attitude. Then for now, I permit you.]
With the Wandering Martial God's approval,
[With the consent of the Wandering Martial God, the skill 'Fundamental Di‐
vine Arts' fully settles with the player.]
Seong Jihan was granted full access to Fundamental Divine Arts.
An epitome skill for humanity, now made his own.
However, his expression was anything but happy.
'Fundamental Divine Arts' SSS+ grade is outstanding but... this skill is ulti‐
mately just an inferior version of the Martial God's power. And its existence
hinges on his will.'
It was like being the Martial God's livestock, fattened up and waiting to be
devoured.
'That can't be my future.'
As Seong Jihan sharpened his eyes, gazing at the details of Fundamental

Divine Arts, "Um... about that promise earlier."
Pythia, who seemed to have left, was peering out from behind the door.
The fourth Technique of the Annihilation Series.
After all, he hadn't shown it to her.
Promises are promises, so Seong Jihan decided to uphold it.
"The fourth technique of the Annihilation Series. Ice Sword Rain of the
Frozen Heavens."
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"Icy sky and... rain of swords... Hmm, I've only used swords just for main‐
tenance... What kind of method is it?"
Just hearing its name, Pythia was puzzled, not quite picturing the fourth
Technique Ice Sword Rain.
'...I'm not sure why the Martial God misled her about her powers. There
must be a reason.'
She always thought her powers were related to fire, used to bring great dis‐
asters.
Surely, the Martial God must've implanted that notion.
It's still unclear why she was led to mistake water for fire.
Seong Jihan was determined to interrupt the Martial God's intentions.
"I'll show you Ice Sword Rain in the next Space League match."
"Really? Thank you!"
Excited by Seong Jihan's words, Pythia happily vanished from the room.
And then,
[Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting!]
[The day has finally, finally arrived...!]
[The Space League, the second match begins!]
That day soon arrived.
***
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***
344
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Chapter 228
***
***
March brought the second Space League match of the year.
This match, like the opening game, captured the attention of the whole
world.
And for good reason:
=Is there ever an unimportant game in the Space League?
=But today's match is particularly crucial.
=Since the human race has become the last place among the victorious
races.
=And now there isn't much of a score difference between us and the 71st
ranked World Tree Elf either.
Humanity's ranking situation was not exactly favorable.
-Dungeons are starting to pop up frequently.
-From the North Korean territory where the Sword King had once purged
completely, dungeon portals are resurfacing, right?
-Yeah, and the GP prices are climbing too.
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⦘
It seemed like the world was in better shape than during the tutorial times
when we were co-leading the rankings.
But as the points discrepancy between races widened and humanity dropped
to 10th place, the situation began to decline more than during the tutorial
times.
For now, humanity could still manage the increasing dungeon portals with
known strategies.
But if rankings dropped further, the outcome was uncertain.
=Thankfully, the opposing race is the bottom-ranked, the Orcs.
=This is the race that player Seong Jihan encountered during the promotion
match.
=They may resemble pigs, but all of them have bodies like robust warriors.
=During Seong Jihan's promotion match, they were easily subdued, so it's
hard to gauge their full strength.
=Isn't every race that goes up against player Seong Jihan like that anyway?
Haha!
Fortunately, the opponents being the 20th-ranked Orcs meant the prognosis
for the game was positive.
-The Orcs truly seem like nothing special lol.
-No wonder they're always near the bottom.
-They just got swept away during the promotion match.
The opposing race, the Orcs.
In the BattleNet, ruled by powerful alien races, they were seen as the most
vulnerab le opponents.
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⦘
Everyone anticipated victory in this second match.
'This is rather burdensome like the opening game.'
Perhaps because of that, Coach Davis felt the pressure for this game.
Not knowing what hidden cards the opposing race might have, everyone as‐
sumed we would win.
With a serious look, he inspected the players in the BattleNet waiting room
before his eyes softened as they landed on Seong Jihan.
"Player Seong Jihan, you really kept your promise to be 11th rank. Thank
you."
Davis approached Seong Jihan and offered a handshake.
As requested, Seong Jihan stopped at the 11th world player rank.
Not vulnerab le to any ban cards, able to play all positions, and demonstrat‐
ing overwhelming power.
For a coach, having such a player at his disposal was a blessing.
"A promise is a promise."
"Haha. At this rate, you might be playing every match. I count on you."
"Then let's end this in three sets and head back home."
"Trustworthy as always."
Upon hearing Seong Jihan's words, a pleased Coach Davis responded,

[Both teams' coaches, please report.]
"I'll head out."
He was summoned to a separ ate space by the BattleNet.
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⦘
=Davis, the coach who was conversing with Seong Jihan, was summoned.
=The scene is changing.
=Like the last time, the representatives were summoned to the office.
=The Orc coach... translates to the 'Great Chieftain.'
Suddenly rising from the darkness was a pristine white table.
Standing at the massive table's two ends were the human coach, Davis,
and...
An Orc, easily 1.5 times larger than Davis -- an enormous figure.
"Grrr..."
The Orc, with his lower fangs protruding sharply, growled upon seeing
Davis.
"Humanity... the race with the hidden boss."
=Ah, the hidden boss...
=Is he referring to player Seong Jihan?
=He's famous even out of the Earth! The one-shot, one-kill hidden boss,
Seong Jihan!
=Speaking of which, apparently a memo went out to all guilds to maintain

Seong Jihan's rank at 11. To ignore him and not challenge the hidden boss.
=Haha. A strategic move to prepare for the ban cards. Since only those up to
10th place will be affected!
=Yeah. But when we interviewed players, it seems they were running

scared even before the memo came out. No matter how appealing the re‐
wards, they didn't dare to challenge him anymore!
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⦘
=Just one swing from him and you'll split in half, what do you expect!
Hidden boss Seong Jihan, notorious even beyond Earth, causing fear in
dungeons across many worlds.
Was he also making a name on the Orc planet?
Upon encountering humanity, the Great Chieftain immediately mentioned

Seong Jihan.
And then he looked at Coach Davis with sharp eyes,
"You... you're weak. Why would you represent your race?"
"Because I'm the coach of our national team."
"Coach? Grrr... I don't see how a coach without fighting ability is of any
use."
Laughing mockingly right in Davis's face, the Great Chieftain said.
[Please place your ban and select cards on the table for the first match.]
"It's here."
Upon the system's prompt, He took out the cards he had prepared in ad‐
vance.
=Our select card is...
=The Tower of Magicians!
=Isn't this map a solo matchmap for the mage class?
=It turns into a team match map for Space League. 100 players will partici‐
pate!
The Tower of Magicians.
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⦘
This map featured two gigantic magic towers at a certain distance.
Mages would dwell there and unleash their firepower upon each other's
towers.
=We have some interesting data on this map.
=Yes, player Seong Jihan participated as a magician during that match!
=Everyone thought China's top magician Je Galheon would end the game,
but they were counter-suppressed by Seong Jihan. It was the game that re‐
vealed the utmost utility of all Seong Jihan's classes.
=Is Davis picking this map today targeting Seong Jihan's participation?
Just as the commentators mentioned,
'Orcs... it could be prejudice, but judging by the appearance of their race,

their warriors seem mightier than their magic forces.'
Coach Davis had his strategy for choosing The Tower of Magicians map.
Humanity's strongest point was the vanguard of warriors with Seong Jihan
and the Sword King at the forefront.
Based on ranking alone, there were more magicians in the TOP 10.
Factoring out the irregularity of Seong Jihan, humanity's magicians actually

held more power.
Conversely, the data for the Orcs was only from Seong Jihan's promotion
match.
'From that game, undead adversaries were bested by warriors and archers;
there was barely a glimpse of magicians or supporters.'
Thus,
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⦘
There was no need to directly face what seemed to be the more formidable
Orcian warriors.
Driving the game into a magician's map, especially with the hidden card
Seong Jihan in play, was the optimal strategy.
On the other hand,
=The Great Chieftain of the Orcs is taking out their select card. Thankfully,
they are not doing any strange stuff like the Elves did.
=The map's name is Warrior's Valley... This map is said to be a large battle‐
field where only warriors, 2000 of them in total, can participate!
=2000? Can our representatives even meet those numbers?
=It's not just the team representatives, the races from 1st to 2000th ranking
warriors are conscripted for the play.
"Selecting a magicians' map even with a hidden boss present... Does your
race lack the pride of a warrior?"
The Great Chieftain, taking out his card, mocked Davis.
Confident in the superiority of Seong Jihan, the warrior above warriors.
'This is way more comfortable than with the Elves.'
Faced openly with a warrior card from the Orcs, Coach Davis answered
with a smile.
"Why? Are your magicians weak?"
"Insects! Orc pride lies in strength, not in magic's trickery!"
"Really? Just take out the Tower of Magicians card, then."
"Impossible! We will face the hidden boss. I will prove that I am the
supreme warrior, not him!"
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⦘
With a thud, thud, the Great Chieftain pounded his chest.
As the table shook, Coach Davis inwardly broke into a cold sweat.
Why, whether it's the Elves or now...
Why are all the representatives such formidable players?
'Of course, I don't think Seong Jihan will lose against that Great Chieftain,
but to win for humanity, we need to thoroughly exploit their weaknesses.'
Deciding not to select the warriors' map, Davis took out the ban card.
['Orcs' 1 to 10 ranked players will receive a ban on 3 of them.]
[Players ranked 1, 7, 9 are banned and won't participate in the first match.]
['Humanity's' 1 to 10 ranked players also receive a ban on 3 of them.]
[Players ranked 2, 3, 10 are banned and won't participate in the first match.]
Both species were subjected to reciprocal bans of three players each.
Sword King Yoon Sejin, pondering the ban results, remarked, "I got banned.
Maybe I should've pushed harder to go for 1st place."
"The gap to Oliver closed quite a bit, you'll probab ly overtake him next
month, right Brother-in-law?"
"Yeah. I'll get a taste of the freshest air up there before brother-in-law takes
the first place."
"It seems like you need to hurry there."
"...Seong Jihan, your 1st place ranking now seems inevitable."
Listening to their conversation, Lee Hayeon couldn't help but look at Seong
Jihan with a sense of disbelief.
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⦘
"Naturally."
For Seong Jihan, 1st place was an expected progression.
'In the current situation without national bonuses, there is no chance of my

ranking dropping.'
Previously, being a latecomer and national bonuses playing a significant

role, the rankings dipped.
But now, in the absence of such, level became the prime factor for ranking.
Despite not providing as much experience as when first introduced as the

hidden boss, even so, his level was closing in on 249.
"But about the Orcs. Are they truly only strong in the warrior class? What if
they are hiding their strength like the Elves did..."
"What about it, Brother-in-law? Have you had any premonitions?"
"A premonition? No, I didn't have any."
Seong Jihan observed the Orc Great Chieftain intensely on the screen.
This chief was the most powerful Orc warrior before being exec uted by the
Elves, the player who defeated the Sword King in the previous life's second
match.
'And if the Orc planet was chosen by BattleNet, there must be something...'
Despite playing releg ation with them later on,
he couldn't be complacent.
Seong Jihan, pointing at the chieftain said,
"That chieftain looks quite strong."
353
⦘
"Hmm... I thought so too. We'll need to be cautious if it's the warriors'

map."
"Could they be concealing their magical strength?"
"It's unlikely."
In his previous life too, the Orcs' weakness was their magicians and sup‐
porters.
They were a race that laid everything in plain sight.
Having made his certainty clear,
"Phew..."
"I feel relieved now that Boss has said so."
Not only Lee Hayeon but also other players around sighed in relief upon
hearing him.
After many doubts with the Elves, they felt secure with Seong Jihan's
prophecy-revealing ability.
And then,
[The map for the first match has been decided.]
[The first match will proceed in 'The Tower of Magicians'.]
"Ooh!"
"The Tower of Magicians it is."
"It's a favorable outcome!"
"The coach has good luck."
As per Coach Davis's intentions, the first match map was settled.
354
⦘
Seeing the result, the Great Chieftain of the Orcs grimaced.
"Humanity, even with a hidden boss, you lack spirit."
"Let's see how superior your magician forces really are."
"Hmph...!"
With Davis's retort, the Great Chieftain snorted, but once the game started,
"Grrr..."
He turned his eyes away from the screen and closed them.
Because,
=Uhh...
=The Orcs' magic is weaker than expected.
=Their spells are hardly reaching our tower, see.
=Oliver and Je Galheon are bombing the enemy's magic tower in competi‐
tion!
The game was embarrassingly one-sided.
'Their level of magicians is even more tragic this time.'
In the Space League's Tower of Magicians map, with towers piercing the
sky, and despite the considerable distance, Humanity's magicians could
bomb from afar without hindrance, unlike Orc magicians who suffered.
A battle like cannon against bow.
=Player Seong Jihan... is flying towards the enemy's magic tower but...
=The game will end before he gets there.
=The Orcs stand no chance against our firepower!
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⦘
Seong Jihan prepared to use the Ice Sword Rain as promised, but '...it's fin‐
ished already?'
Before he could even use his martial technique, the game was over.
=We won the first match easily!
=Player Seong Jihan had to stop advancing midway.
=The game ended before he could start!
The game concluded with American Oliver as the MVP, and Davis smiled
more relaxedly at the Great Chieftain.
"Great magical forces, huh."
"...Magic, a mere cowardly trick. Orcs revere only strength!"
"Is that so? It will always be magicians' maps only."
The Orcs were much more transparent than the Elves.
Coach Davis picked a magicians' map for the second match as well.
But this time, luck was not on his side.
[The map for the second match has been decided.]
[The second match will proceed in 'Warrior's Valley'.]
"Good!"
The Great Chieftain, upon seeing the result, flashed his vicious teeth.
"Bring out the hidden boss immediately. I will personally send you all to
your deaths."
***
356
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***
357
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Chapter 229
***
***
Match two, Warrior's Valley.
This game, where 1,000 warriors of the warrior class clash, was one of the
Orcs' preferred maps.
=It's settled on the opponent's desired map.
=It's regrettable. The first game was such a breeze.
=Still, the human forces have sufficient warrior power. We do have Seong
Jihan and the Sword King, right?
While the commentators expressed regret that the selection favored the en‐
emy's choice, they also voiced confidence because of the key human play‐
ers, Seong Jihan and the Sword King.
Similar sentiments resounded among the public.
-Our side is strong when it comes to warriors anyway.
-But realistically speaking, it's just two Koreans who are strong... if they get
banned, doesn't that mean we will be in trouble?
-One should be fine though. Isn't Seong Jihan ranked 11th?
358
⦘
-Didn't Coach Davis request to temporarily hold the ranks in anticipation of

this game?
-When exec uting the elves, it was a mess, but that move was pretty smart
lol.
The public seemed to trust the Korean warrior duo.
Yet, the mood shifted with the release of the ban card informations: ['Orcs' 1
to 10 ranked players will receive a ban on 3 of them.]
[Players ranked 6, 8, 10 are banned and won't participate in the second

match.]
['Humanity's' 1 to 10 ranked players also receive a ban on 3 of them.]
[Players ranked 2, 7, 10 are banned and won't participate in the second

match.]
The initial optimistic outlook began to waver upon the ban card's reveal.
=Oh... the 2nd rank...
=The Sword King is banned. It's a consecutive ban now!
=The ban from the first match was of no consequence, but this one is quite
critical.
=Still, it's lucky that Seong Jihan survived. If he'd been just one rank higher,
we'd be fighting without both Seong Jihan and the Sword King!
"Oh no, not another ban..."
Yoon Sejin furrowed his brows.
The first game's map of magicians didn't matter, but participation in this
second game was crucial.
Unfortunately, the opponents' ban card directly hit him this time.
359
⦘
"Brother-in-law, I apologize."
"It's the luck of the draw. There's no need to be sorry. I'll stand in for you."
Seong Jihan replied to Yoon Sejin, thinking.
'In my previous life, Brother-in-law was in the match, and now this side-ef‐
fect has occurred as his rank rose to 2nd place.'
Back when Yoon Sejin was in Japan, he was content with the 3rd rank.
But now, after returning to Korea and joining the Daegi guild, he surged to
the 2nd rank in the world, enjoying a powerful progression.
It's good to have grown, but he faced consecutive bans now, something that
didn't happen before.
Seong Jihan resolved to carry out Yoon Sejin's role in this battle too, as he
considered his next move.
'The Chieftain who struck down Brother-in-law... I don't have much infor‐
mation on him.'
The Orc Chieftain.
As they had only clashed once, not much about the Chieftain remained in
Seong Jihan's memory.
But there was one vivid scene that had made a strong impression on Seong
Jihan.
'Yet I remember how he smashed Brother-in-law's head with a punch.'
The white blade of the Sword King had been crushed by the chieftain's fist.
The continuously pressured Yoon Sejin eventually couldn't withstand his

opponent's power and ended up with a burst head.
360
⦘
Humanity despaired at this result, but Seong Jihan, who watched it unfold,
felt secretly pleased.
Back then, the Sword King was no less than a sworn enemy to him.
'I'm stronger than Brother was back then...'
Although he upgraded his weapon and grew stronger with the Fundamental
Divine Arts, this opponent was no easy feat.
'I'll have to use the Annihilation Technique right away.'
With that thought, Seong Jihan prepared for the contest.
Warrior's Valley.
High cliffs rose on either side with a flat plain below, offering an equal
playing ground to both teams.
The map mandated a straightforward face-off, warriors against warriors,

without distractions.
"Wow. I can't believe I'm participating in the Space League...!"
"I never expected this!"
When a thousand warriors were chosen, even those not in the main team
were summoned.
Overwhelmed with excitement, they looked around in elation.
"Those who've been summoned, stop looking around and come this way.
We need to build our formation first!"
"Hurry to receive the formation bonus!"
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⦘
The main team warriors urged on the newcomers, clustering in groups to

build their formation.
"We'll primarily go with the turtle shell formation."
"We'll switch to attack formation once we assess the enemy's strength."
The warriors hustled, issuing commands and moving briskly. However,

Seong Jihan...
"I will act alone."
"Ah, yes! Understood!"
Not joining in the group's movement, he stood at the forefront, observing

the Orc side.
'They've formed circles of a hundred. That's the usual pattern for Orcs.'
Regardless of being a chieftain or not, Orc warriors always gathered in cir‐

cles to form their ranks.
Was this circle formation granting significant bonuses to the Orc race?
As Seong Jihan watched their movement, there came a rumble.
"You are..."
The Orc chieftain, who just used the select and ban cards earlier, stepped
forward and looked at Seong Jihan with a baffling expression.
"Weren't you in the first game? Your face was covered..."
The game had ended before Seong Jihan really got into action. The focus
had been largely on the Orc camp being bombarded so the footage of Seong
Jihan flying was brief.
It seemed the chieftain had caught that fleeting moment, too.
362
⦘
"Yes."
"How come a mage is in this game...?"
"I'm the one you have been seeking."
"What...! You're the hidden boss?"
As Seong Jihan nodded, the Orc chieftain clenched his fist.
Crrrrack!
His skin began reflecting a grayish hue, and tattoos that hadn't been visible
before started emerging on his body.
"Good! I'll avenge my humiliation in the dungeon here!"
"Humiliation? Did you lose to my dungeon boss?"
"I wasn't defeated. It was just a surprise attack!"
Isn't that the same thing?
If he was decimated by a clone, it must not be as challenging as expected.
As Seong Jihan thought, the chieftain raised his hand to the sky.
"Great ancestors. Grant me strength!"
Boom...!
Intense light burst from the sky, crashing down on him. His green skin
quickly grayed.
Inflating like a balloon then turning into muscle, the chieftain's body dou‐
bled in size from before.
"Hidden boss... I'll crush you!"
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⦘
Boom!
The chieftain stomped the ground, closing the distance to Seong Jihan in an
instant.
'Incredible speed. He definitely wasn't this strong just moments ago.'
As soon as he called for his ancestor's, he transformed with superhuman

abilities.
Above, a gray light continued pouring down, energizing him.
Is that the source of his power?
"Don't you dare take your eyes off me!"
Swoosh!
The giant fist aimed at Seong Jihan's head slowed to a crawl.
Inhibited by the spatial control of the Void.
The chieftain's eyes bulged.
"No..."
"It's still too early for that."
Sssssh!
A shadow sword bloomed from Seong Jihan's left hand.
With a swift strike, he launched his attack.
Fundamental Divine Arts, Triad of Martial Mastery: Way of Immortals A

simple thrust aiming for one point, Way of Immortals.
But, augmented with the true power of Fundamental Divine Arts, its force
was unimaginable.
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⦘
Boom!
A vast hole appeared in the chieftain's chest.
"Argh...!"
"What, what!"
Behind the chieftain, the force of the blow reached all the way to the Orcs
forming the circle far away.
=The sword energy...
=It stretches to the edge of the map!
=The Orcs' circular formation completely collapsed!
=Over thirty fell with just one strike!
The central point shattered, dozens of Orcs collapsed, and The Way of Im‐
mortals extended to the map's edge.
But the chieftain, hit at close range by this attack, was already...
"Kukh..."
Sssssh!
He had healed the massive hole in his chest.
"No such attack existed when I fought the hidden boss."
"That's because he contained only a part of me."
"Instead of the hidden boss being enhanced, you mean you were a diluted
version... You're a terrible monstrosity. But..."
Whoosh!
365
⦘
The Orc's fist moved faster than before.
"Good! That makes it worth crushing you!"
The air split as the chieftain's punch hurtled towards Seong Jihan's head.
The restraining power of the Void space was less effective now.
'His strength intensified after the chest was pierced.'
Yet it was still within a manageable range.
Seong Jihan brought down Eclipse, slicing the chieftain's fist cleanly in
half.
Crunch!
The sound of metal tearing apart, the chieftain's form dissolving.
But wisps of gray smoke rose from the split arm, maintaining the punch's
form.
'If one strike won't do it.'
Sssss!
Eclipse whirred several times, crafting arcs and rips through the chieftain.
Wisps disintegrated, bloodlines burst throughout his body.
'If not once, then multiple times.'
As each deadly strike landed nonstop, smoke billowed from the solid body
of the chieftain, and it shrank.
"I've never faced... such strikes, so easily...!"
He gritted his teeth, watching his body.
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⦘
The energy descending from the heavens rapidly regenerated him, but...
The foe's sword was faster.
Despite the proximity, not once had his fist reached Seong Jihan, who
slashed him a dozen times.
"So when are you going to crush me?"
Grinning in ridicule, Seong Jihan slashed.
Whoosh!
The Orc chieftain's head flew off, soaring through the air.
The close combat showdown transpired in an instant.
The victor was clear in the blink of an eye.
"The big... big chieftain...!"
"How could the Great Chieftain...!"
As the chieftain's head rolled on the ground.
Orc warriors were horrified.
But then,
"Get up."
Seong Jihan motioned with his sword.
Sssssh!
The sky's gray hue intensified, enveloping the chieftain's body and starting
the regeneration process once more.
"...How did you know that I would revive?"
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⦘
His body restored, the chieftain asked with a stern expression.
Seong Jihan pointed his sword skyward.
"It's obvious. Whining for ancestral support, with arms spread to the heav‐
ens -- that's the source of your power, isn't it?"
The flow of energy visible through the Void signified the chieftain standing
on the ground was merely secondary.
The true entity was the gray energy pouring from above.
"...You figured that out in such a short time? No wonder you're the hidden
boss."
"It's all quite transparent."
"Well... I acknowledge your insight. But what will you do about it?"
Once again, the chieftain raised both arms to the sky.
"As long as I keep receiving this support from my ancestors, I'll continue to
grow stronger and close the gap between us. As long as the sky remains, I
will ultimately prevail..."
Sssssh!
As intense gray light descended upon the chieftain again, he flashed a tri‐
umphant grin.
"Now, try tearing me apart again, Hidden boss. Make me stronger! Let me
receive the ancestral power again!"
With the energy from the skies enabling revival and strength increase after
each death, the chieftain openly invited Seong Jihan to slay him.
But Seong Jihan, watching the defiant chieftain, soon lifted his gaze.
"No. It's too boring playing with you. I'll just get rid of that sky."
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⦘
"What?"
"Pythia. I will honor our agreement."
As he finished speaking, an intense cold burst from Seong Jihan's body.
***
***
369
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Chapter 230
***
***
Fundamental Divine Arts: Annihilation God's Secret, Ice Heaven Sword

Rain.
Seong Jihan's Eclipse froze in his grip.
Swoosh!
The sword left his hand and soared autonomously into the sky.
"What are you trying to do!"
The chieftain charged at Seong Jihan, who was now without his weapon.
Flash!!
Before he could reach him, from the Phoenix Flag in Seong Jihan's hand, a
Crimson lightning burst forth, completely incinerating the chieftain's body.
Demonstrating superior power than the basic moves of Triad of Martial

Mastery, the lightning attack annihilated the chieftain's form.
However, a fiercer gray light burst from the sky and the obliterated chieftain
soon reappeared.
"...You truly extinguished me completely."
He looked incredulously at Seong Jihan and then toward the heavens.
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"But as long as the ancestors' blessing is with me, I will not die... Huh?"
Just then,
the supportive gray light from the sky quickly faded.
At the same time,
Crackle... Crackle!
Around the Eclipse in the sky, the heavens rapidly began to freeze over.
"You fool... You think you can freeze the sky? Do you think that's even pos‐
sible?"
The chieftain scoffed outwardly, but unlike before, he refrained from charg‐
ing recklessly at Seong Jihan.
Instead, he observed the waning gray aura for a moment and began to re‐
treat hastily.
He made a cold judgment: without the ancestors' blessing, he was no match.
"How can it continue...!"
The sky was freezing faster than the chieftain could flee, Thunk! Thunk...!
From the frigid heavens, massive entities began to descend one by one.
"What is this...?"
"Are those... swords?"
Column-like shapes of ice and water, resembling swords, the Ice Heaven
Sword Rain landed directly onto the gathered Orc warriors behind the chief‐
tain.
"How do we block this!"
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⦘
"Throw your bodies! Protect the circle's center!"
Trying to maintain formation despite the overwhelming force disparity, the

Orc battalion bravely hurled themselves against the giant ice swords.
But before even touching the ground, their bodies were frozen solid.
Thud!
As the pillars of swords anchored into the earth, the Orc battalion was
crushed, and the frozen heavens descended, shattering the firmament.
"Gr, Grr..."
"The formation maintenance is impossible. Evade...!"
"...The heavens are falling, where should we escape?"
"And the ground's frozen over. Can't even lift my feet!"
As the ground was skewered by Ice Heaven Sword Rain, instantly froze
over, and the firmament above descended squarely upon the Orc battalion, it
was a disaster they simply couldn't stand against.
Thump...!
The skies and the earth merged into ice.
The Orcs, caught between, were obliterated without a trace.
"I... How could a mere player do this..."
"Hmm."
As the chieftain stood alone, having barely escaped the range, he shivered,
looking back at the devastation .
"How could a single player... accomplish this?"
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⦘
Yet, despite the chieftain's horror,
Seong Jihan, upon using Ice Heaven Sword Rain for the first time, seemed
dissatisfied with the result.
'Is it because it's my first time using it? It seems Ice Heaven Sword Rain
targeted the wrong entity...'
It was fine until freezing the sky and diminishing the Orcs' ancestral power.
But why Ice Heaven Sword Rain targeted Orcs behind the chieftain instead
of him remained a mystery.
Was it a lack of control over the fourth Annihilation Technique, a skill yet
new to him?
As Seong Jihan contemplated Ice Heaven Sword Rain, a realization

dawned.
'Aha.'
Noticing a distinct change in the aura around the retracted chieftain, "The
power from your ancestors... has markedly diminished."
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
"With Ice Heaven gone, the gray energy should be resupplying you from the
sky. But it's not regenerating you, it's waning, isn't it?"
"..."
"Looking back, the Orc warriors' formations were strange."
The Orc warriors had gathered in circles of a hundred each, spaced far
apart.
It mirrored the past life, raising questions about potential bonuses for the
Orcs.
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⦘
"So the power came not from ancestors but from them, did it?"
"...Grr."
The chieftain's power was undeniably formidable, even overpowering in its

capacity to regenerate and grow stronger after injury.
If this had not been 'Seong Jihan,' the hidden boss himself might have stood
a chance given prolonged combat...
'Dungeons maps couldn't deploy a thousand warriors at once. So that level

of regeneration was impossible. That's why the hidden boss failed.'
Ice Heaven Sword Rain then must have precisely struck the true source of
power.
Could the feature of Ice Heaven Sword Rain be to attack the source of
power?
Seong Jihan reflected on the deployment of Ice Heaven Sword Rain that
fused heaven and earth.
'Drawing upon the source to strike... is that Ice Heaven Sword Rain's char‐
acteristic?'
Still not fully understanding the fourth Annihilation Technique despite hav‐
ing wielded it, Seong Jihan concluded further study was needed, then
slowly approached the chieftain, standing still.
"...You, what's your name?"
Defeated in spirit, the chieftain enquired with resignation.
"You needn't know."
Swoosh!
With a casual slash, Seong Jihan beheaded him.
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⦘
Thud!
With a roll, the head and body separ ated, spilling blood across the soil, but
considering he regenerated from total deletion before, this injury should not
have been fatal.
Yet now,
no gray light descended upon the chieftain's head, "...I have lost."
Closing his eyes at that declaration.
[The second match concludes.]
[Humanity has won the match.]
[Player Seong Jihan is named the match MVP.]
The game was over.
=Uh...
=The game is finished! Humanity is victorious!
=Player Seong Jihan accomplishes a solo 1000 kills!! Stronger than ever!
Match two...
For humanity, the game began inauspiciously.
Not only was it on the Orcs' favored map, but the Sword King Yoon Sejin
also faced a ban.
Nonetheless,
The outcome was entirely unexpected.
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⦘
-Is Seong Jihan a god?? Is Seong Jihan a god?? Is Seong Jihan a god??
-Not even joking, but like seriously, he's god at this point; -That's why he
just keeps getting stronger every game lol lol lol -Wow, the second match
ended even faster than the first o_o -Ordered chicken, but the Space League
is about to end before it has even arrived....
While Seong Jihan's power was always a spectacle, no one could have pre‐
dicted he'd solo defeat 1000 players in the opponent's strongest arena.
-Why is he ranked 11th then? lol The ranking system is a mess -- -Good
thing he's 11th, he won't face a ban lol -The enem
ies will probab ly just ban
the 1st rank from now on, if it's Seong Jihan they're up against, so terrify‐
ing!
With the dominating victory, the chatroom overflowed with a festive air.
Unlike national confrontations, the Space League united humanity in this

collective fate.
People of every nationality savored the overwhelming triumph as if in an‐

other world.
-What will the countries of the Northeast Asia League do now?
-Just fall one rank down, lol
-Seong-nim (Seong Jihan) will ensure the Space League rank, so no worries
about regional league demotion lol -The Sword King wouldn't have stood a
chance anyway lol. Already those from the same league as Korea assumed a
step down as given.
Coach Davis grinned ear-to-ear with the second easy victory, 'With him do‐
ing all the work, it's certainly easy for a coach... I'm so grateful he's on our
side!'
Whether against the elves or now,
Seong Jihan singularly carried the matches with crazy prowess.
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⦘
Coach Davis indulged freely in the antics as humanity's team representative.
Meanwhile,
"...That player from earlier, what's his name?"
From across the table, the chieftain who had lost his head in the second
match asked Davis with an aged expression.
The chieftain's fixation on the name had been persistent.
Davis, with a sneer, replied,
"Think I'd tell you? Just throw out your card, chieftain."
"Sigh... What's the use anyway? There's a crazed monster among you."
For the selection and ban of the third match, the chieftain carelessly threw
out a random card.
Such behavior as a representative was unthinkable, but the blow of his re‐
cent defeat led him to an almost game-throwing surrender.
Yet then,
['Orcs' 1 to 10 ranked players will receive a ban on 3 of them.]
[Players ranked 3, 4, 5 are banned and won't participate in the third match.]
['Humanity's' 1 to 20 ranked players will receive a ban on 5 of them.]
[Players ranked 1, 6, 10, 11, 19 are banned and won't participate in the third
match.]
"...Huh?"
Perhaps tossing it absentmindedly, he threw a card that, instead of the usual

1-10, banned 5 players from 1-20.
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⦘
"...A pit fight? Ahh, against that monster again... Huh? Rank 1 has been
banned?"
And then,
brightening upon viewing the system message, "Forewent, yet rank 1...!"
The third match beamed to life.
"This time it's my turn."
"If the chieftain comes out, wipe out the Orcs behind him first. They are the
source."
"Okay, brother-in-law."
Humanity's players, with Yoon Sejin replacing the banned rank 11 Seong Ji‐
han, "...Ohh!"
The chieftain, participating in the third fight, looked around at his foes with
a radiant smile.
That monster, Now that the 1st rank was banned, he's gone!
"Now, things are different...!"
Charging fiercely toward humanity,
"Let's start with the Orcs in the back!"
Humanity, though lacking Seong Jihan, followed his hint, targeting the Orcs
rather than the chieftain.
In the all-position Arena map, the human mages poured firepower towards
the circular Orc warriors, "What? They looked so weak before...!"
"Surprisingly sturdy, aren't they?"
Orc warriors, a stark contrast from their last match's display, "Grrrrrr!!"
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⦘
The chieftain, trampling the warriors blocking his way, rampaged through
humanity's backlines, "I'll shred you all!"
He unleashed a brutal slaughter, vengeful for the second match's disgrace.
=Ahh, no one can stop the chieftain!
=Was he always this strong??
=The Sword King trying to mark him but... the chieftain utterly ignoring the
attacks, focusing solely on decimating the magic forces!
=Ah, the Sword King, conceding it's futile, changed direction. Now he's
aiming to break the Orcs' formation!
=But... before that, our side will be annihilated first! The chieftain, he's in‐
sane!!
The chieftain was formidable only when Seong Jihan was absent.
Now banished, he seemed to fly.
"Kukh..."
"You are fairly strong. But..."
Yoon Sejin held his own, fighting fiercely against the chieftain, "I AM UN‐
MATCHED!"
Boom!
Eventually, he couldn't counter the chieftain's fist.
=Match three... We lost.
=How could the chieftain be so powerful?!!
With that, the third Arena match went to the Orcs, seemingly reinvigorated,
the chieftain sat triumphantly back in the representatives' room.
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⦘
"Haha. You humans... without that hidden boss, you're not much, now are
you?"
The chieftain, with arms crossed, looked down on Coach Davis with arro‐
gance.
"One strong player... then the solution is simple."
Ssshh!
He pulled out a ban card, placing it on the table.
['Humanity's' player ranked 1st is banned. Will not participate in the fourth
match.]
"Now, I shall turn the tide."
The chieftain laughed confidently.
And Coach Davis,
"Ck... damn it..."
Struggled to hold back his twitching lips, trying desperately to keep a seri‐
ous face.
-Rank 1 banned lololololol
-Check out the coach's acting skills lolololol -Why do I feel bad for the
chieftain having fun lololol "Warrior's Valley! My luck is good today!"
So began the fourth game on the same map, Warrior's Valley.
"Hello?"
"..."
"Let's end this one even quicker."
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⦘
Seong Jihan waved at the chieftain before sending his sword into the sky.
"What, what's going on? You... Why are you here? You were banned!"
"Yeah. Good job."
The fourth match followed the same pattern as the second.
Thunk!
The chieftain's head fell even as he wondered, "Didn't I ban the 1st rank...?"
And following the end of the match,
[...I enjoyed watching your game.]
The Disciple of the Martial God, Pythia, contacted him.
***
***
381
⦘
Chapter 231
***
***
The second Space League Game concluded with a resounding 3:1 victory
for humanity, creating a festive atmosphere among the human ranks.
[The decisive battle against the Orcs ends in victory!]
[Humanity leaps to 7th place in the league rankings.]
[Seong Jihan, having subdued the Great Chieftain twice, becomes the series
MVP.]
[Coach Davis's strategy hits the mark.]
Highlighted across global media, A series MVP interview was conducted.
"Player Seong Jihan!"
"Congratulations on becoming the series MVP!"
Inside the representative team's waiting room prepared within the BattleNet
game, the commentators, with excited faces, handed over the microphone to
Seong Jihan.
"You showed a considerably more powerful form this time, especially in the
battle against the Orc chieftain, it was like a natural disaster happened!"
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⦘
"The sky froze over and fell! Not even the greatest mages, not even Oliver,
could manifest such a phenomen on. It was truly overwhelming!"
"How do you manage to grow so rapidly?"
"You need to join the Daegi guild for rapid progress."
"Ha! With the TOP 200 in a frenzy to get in, the competition will be more
intense than ever!"
Laughing, the commentators engaged in light-hearted banter with Seong Ji‐

han. They also touched on one of the key factors that led to the 3:1 game re‐
sult: "The Great Chieftain of the Orcs mistook Player Seong Jihan for the
top player and used his ban card under that impression."
"It was a reasonable assumption! In the third game when number 1 was
banned, Player Seong Jihan didn't appear."
"The strategy was highly effective today, but we wonder what will happen
in the next Space League game..."
"What do you think will happen to your rank next time?"
To the commentator's question, Seong Jihan responded immediately.
"It's impossible to stay at rank 11."
"Of course... that makes sense."
"Yes. My hidden boss provides me with a lot of experience. If I stop grow‐

ing, I won't be able to handle even stronger enem
ies that may emerge later.
However."
With that, Seong Jihan unfurled his index finger.
"I'll get to rank 1 at my own pace."
"Going for rank 1...!"
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⦘
"Yes. As you saw with the Great Chieftain, it's logical for the enem
ies to
think I'm humanity's top player, right?"
If any other player had made that statement, it would have been deemed ar‐
rogant.
"That's right!"
"The Great Chieftain's choice, though laughed at by us, was technically the
right one."
"After being so decisively beaten by Seong Jihan, of course, they would

think that way!"
Coming from Seong Jihan, the comment held more weight.
-For real lol, the Great Chieftain just made the obvious choice.
-Who knew rank 11 could be that strong lol
-Today answered 'Seong Jihan vs Sword King: who would win?'
-These days, except die-hard Sword King fans, everyone thinks Seong Jihan
will win lol -But man, once Seong Jihan hits rank 1, that's going to be trou‐
ble.
Everyone naturally accepted that Seong Jihan was humanity's strongest and
his rank 1 status was inevitable. They worried about the future from this
common-sense baseline.
-What if the enem

ies only ban the 1st rank?
-From what we saw, We lose when Seong Jihan isn't present...
-Yep, even the Sword King lost to the Great Chieftain; if it wasn't for Seong
Jihan, the score might have been 3:1 in reverse.
-The Orcs aren't even a strong race; they were the lowest-ranked...
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⦘
-We can't get complacent because we won this match; other players need to
become stronger, too. Once Seong Jihan is first, he's almost guaranteed to
be banned.
Humanity's excessive reliance on Seong Jihan was evident in both games.
The coaching staff, led by Coach Davis, knew this better than anyone so af‐
ter the MVP interview, in the subsequent winning coach's interview.
"We won this game easily thanks to Player Seong Jihan, but this strategy
won't work forever. As evident from the third game, the human representa‐
tive team has much to improve on. Until Seong Jihan reaches rank 1, we
will do our utmost to strengthen our forces."
-The other players should step up, not just rely on Seong Jihan.
-Coach Davis looks reliable.
-He will likely continue as the national team coach.
-Right. Even the exec ution against the elves, when seen in light of reducing
enemy power, was the right choice, wasn't it?
Ending in victory, the second Space League game brought joy to humanity
but also highlighted the need to resolve the excessive dependence on Seong
Jihan.
Meanwhile,
"Phew..."
Having logged out and returned to the Sword Palace, Yoon Sejin went to the
liquor cabinet and started bringing out several bottles of whiskey into the
living room.
"Dad! Why are you taking out liquor...?"
"Ha! The barrier of the universe is indeed high."
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⦘
"... Is it because of the Great Chieftain?"
"That and even during the match against the elves, I was powerless."
Sigh!
Yoon Sejin let out a deep sigh and tipped back the bottle.
It would usually be a cause for celeb ration to have his position as human‐
ity's strongest warrior usurped by his brother-in-law, but, "I can't believe I
couldn't manage to help at all..."
He found himself appalling for losing crucial games.
"Brother-in-law... What are you doing?"
"Feeling pathetic for facing consecutive defeats."
"The Great Chieftain... he was an opponent out of the ordinary specifica‐

tions, harnessing power from other Orcs."
Gulp! Gulp!
Seong Jihan offered words of comfort to Yoon Sejin, who was gulping
down whiskey like water, "In the third game, when all other players fell,
you fought alone resolutely. There's no reason for self-blame."
"... Still, the youngster managed to win."
Sigh!
Yoon Sejin sighed deeply again, gazing at his palms.
"Nowadays, I feel doubtful. Twin Sword Mastery. Am I truly evolving this

power well? Or am I just a lucky fool who received an SSS-rank Gift..."
Seong Jihan watched Yoon Sejin lamenting and lifting another bottle, Twin
Sword Mastery
386
⦘
That Gift was an area even Seong Jihan knew little about.
The power's evolution ultimately rested in the player's own hands, so advice
wasn't his to give.
'If I recall from my previous life...'
The Sword King, who was beguiled by Shizuru and used as her pawn, con‐
tinued to develop as a warrior after moving to Japan.
It was, after all, his usefulness that prompted Shizuru to charm him in the
first place.
'Toward the end, the number of swords decreased.'
The Sword King, who used to summon white swords, Over time, he actu‐
ally reduced the number of swords he used.
In the end, wasn't it about 20 swords?
Seong Jihan suggested to the inebriated Yoon Sejin.
"Instead of diffusing power among a hundred blades, what if you reduce the
number of swords?"
"Reduce the swords...?"
"Yes. While a hundred swords are an effective area of attack against aver‐
age foes, it doesn't work in the Space League. It seems better to refine each
individual sword and cultivate its potential, making it more powerful."
"Hmm... Thus, reduce, not multiply the blades..."
Having emptied a bottle already, Yoon Sejin fell deep in thought.
Seong Jihan's solution was simple but represented a complete shift for Yoon
Sejin, who had been increasing the number of blades in pursuit of evolving
the Twin Sword Mastery.
387
⦘
Tap! Tap!
He tapped on the empty bottle, then decisively stood up.
"Alright. I'll give it a try. Thank you for the advice, Jihan."
He got up and walked toward the training room.
"Daddy! Swinging swords after drinking; what are you doing!"
"It's fine. This is nothing!"
Sauntering off with a wave while reeking of alcohol, Yoon Sejin disap‐
peared.
Yoon Seah watched him unbelievably then gave Seong Jihan a thumbs up.
"Uncle, you were amazing today. You led the team to victory all alone."
"I was just playing in the first match."
"Ah... you were advancing forward when the game ended. That was just a
warmup because their mages were so weak!"
She then raised her hand triumphantly,
"But hey! Did you know? Coach called me today."
"Coach? Who? Davis?"
"No... Coach Davis was picking cards earlier. I'm talking about Coach Noh
Youngjun."
"Ah. Yeah. What did he say?"
"He asked if I could participate in the next Korea-Japan match! Finally! I've
been selected for the national team!"
Bouncing with excitement, Yoon Seah clinched her fist.
388
⦘
Surprised inwardly, Seong Jihan asked her,
"The national team's archer line is tough to crack... They let you in?"
"It's all thanks to the Artemus Bow! It's amaaaaazing!"
"Did it earn back its price?"
"... Not yet."
"Well, you'll make it worth in time."
"Uh. Even so, 200 billion GP is..."
Mentioning the 200 billion GP value, Yoon seah's hands became careful
with the Artemus Bow.
Seong Jihan chuckled at her reaction.
"I won't ask you for money; use it as you wish."
"Eek! How could I? It might be the most expensive bow in the world..."
"Anyway. Then three of us will participate in the Korea-Japan game."
"Yep! Hehe. I'll make my debut successful, and next I'll aim for the Space
League match!"
"Hmm. For that, do you have more skills in addition to Void Arrow?"
"Ah. Well, I'm practicing something but..."
As her voice became softer at the suggestion she lacked skills, she suddenly
got hyped up.
"Ugh. Enough! I have to develop a new skill, too! I can't stay idle if dad is
practicing!"
389
⦘
Suddenly she excitedly declared her intention to gain new skills and
sprinted off to the training room.
"Good. Try to get yourself banned too."
"Got it! It won't be just you getting banned, uncle!"
Waving back to Seong Jihan, Yoon Seah entered the training room.
Seong Jihan smiled faintly at her departure, then heard Pythia's voice.
[Now... have you finished with your tasks?]
Voice lowered, Seong Jihan engaged with Pythia.
"Yep, Pythia. How was my power from your perspective?"
[Ice Heaven Sword Rain... was the skill you used earlier, right?]
"Correct."
[I realized something from watching it... I truly was deceived by the Martial
God.]
The voice of Pythia, convinced that she had been misled by the Martial
God, was unexpectedly calm.
"You sound like you expected it."
[I have always carried a degree of skepticism about him. I can't discuss it in

detail here... Are you participating in the game against Japan next week?]
"I will."
[Then speak with me in BattleNet then. My avatar, the one you saw... is Ja‐
panese.]
The woman from the hotel intrusion... She was Japanese.
390
⦘
"Understood. I'll see you then."
[Good. Until then... There is one thing I realized about that Ice Heaven
Sword Rain you used earlier...]
She whispered her newfound understanding.
[Its true intention lies in reconnaissance.]
With that, she halted further communication.
Seong Jihan pondered her words.
"...Reconnaissance?"
Ice Heaven Sword Rain, the overwhelming fourth Annihilation technique

that froze and dropped the sky...was intended for reconnaissance use?
While the idea didn't come easily, it must be relev ant to her powers and was
no idle notion.
"...I should head to the training room, too."
When understanding eludes you, the only option is to keep practicing.
On the victorious day in the Space League, instead of popping champagne,

Seong Jihan headed for the Void training room.
***
***
391
⦘
Chapter 232
***
***
A week after the Space League games, the Korea-Japan match is underway.
The outlook for this game had drastically changed compared to six months
ago.
-1.01... Is that the real odds??
-Betting on Korea's win gives you a 1% profit, huh? lol -It was originally at
1.05, but after Seong Jihan became the Space League MVP, it dropped even
more lol -Makes sense, the Japanese players are betting on Korea's victory
too? There seems to be a lack of talent in Japan nowadays.
-It's the total opposite of last year's Independence Day lol Whether it was
the Independence Day when the Sword King moved to Japan, Or the subse‐
quent Korea-Japan match where Seong Jihan rose rapidly, fighting the
Sword King.
The 2021 Korea-Japan match was expected to end predictably, unlike previ‐
ous years.
Seong Jihan, who dominated the Space League games, And now evaluated
as warrior rank 2, but still the formidable Sword King, Yoon Sejin, would
participate as well, Whereas Japan, after the Sword King returned to Korea,
hasn't seen the emergence of any SSS-ranked players, Continually strug‐
gling at the bottom of the Northeast Asia League rankings.
392
⦘
Korea's easy victory seemed predestined.
Koreans showed more interest in other developments rather than the pre‐
dictable game outcome.
-Turns out Yoon Seah also joined the national team this time.
-Eh? Yoon Seah? Isn't that a bit... Did she use family connections?
-└└└ Last month, Yoon Seah's win rate was top among the diam ond
archers, she was always good, but after changing her bow, she's insane.
-Wow...that family is full of monsters o_o
-The speed of her growth is unbelievable lol!! Two games a day is such a
cheat With the assertive growth trajectory, Yoon Seah shows off the true po‐
tential of the late bloomer's gift. Her Void Arrows, since changing bows,
fire in quick seven-arrow volleys, devastating battlefields.
-But if the gift is only quick growth and eventually plateaus, wouldn't it be
nothing special?
-Exactly. It may not be directly combat affecting or something benef icial -

It's good she's in the national team, but whether she'll shine is another ques‐
tion...
However, compared to the monstrous performances of Seong Jihan or the

Sword King, Yoon Seah received a colder reception from the public, Yet the
Korean national team staff thought differently.
"Turtle Formation is breached."
"All warriors are down."
The national team held practice games incorporating the newly joined Yoon
Seah with the existing warriors.
Her performance was astonishing.
393
⦘
"We knew Void Arrow was strong, but..."
Yoon Seah's unique Void Arrow.
Arrows vanished and emerged back to strike, leaving even diam

ond-class
warriors unable to properly block them.
People thought lower-ranked players might stand a chance, but with her
new bow, Yoon Seah was easily hunting down even national-level players.
"We never expected her to easily penetrate the Turtle Formation like this."
"I know, right?"
The defensive formation, the Turtle Formation, formed by national team

players, It used to be effortlessly destroyed by outliers like Seong Jihan.
Typically, breaking through required intense combat.
But to pierce it with arrows...
"If Yoon Seah keeps growing at this pace, we might even aim for the Cham‐
pions League victory this year..."
"Don't count the chickens before they hatch. We can't even guarantee mak‐
ing it to the main competition yet."
Coach Noh Youngjun reprimanded the over-excited staff, but his eyes
gleamed with anticipation.
Meanwhile,
"Do you want to lead this time, Seah?"
Archer Division Leader Ha Yoori welcomed Yoon Seah coming out of the
BattleNet connector.
"Eh. Come on, with Unnie here, why would I lead!"
394
⦘
"You're stronger than me. I can't even break the Turtle Formation by my‐
self."
"Break it by myself? But I got help from Akari Unnie!"
Ssss!
Beside Yoon Seah, Akari shook her head upon hearing this.
"Together...? I merely stood there. You handled it all."
"You had no rear guard concerns, so you were free to pull your bow to its
limit!"
"Indeed. I saw you smoothly deflect the warriors' attack."
"...Um, is it really okay for me to join the national team? As an assassin, in

the archery ranks... I'm not sure if I'm needed..."
Akari, who joined the national team roster with Yoon seah, had grown to
level 245, easily qualifying her, but as an Archer variant class, the Assassin
wasn't a perfect fit for Korea's archer division.
"Don't worry. Our archer division has more than enough firepower with the
addition of Seah."
"Yeah. Games aren't always about confronting enem

ies head-on. In places
like dungeons, assassins shine."
"Ah... Uncle! Weren't you practicing?"
Yoon Seah was surprised to see Seong Jihan coming toward the BattleNet
connector.
Hadn't he disappeared to practice again? When did he return?
"I'm stuck on something tricky, so I've wrapped up my practice for now."
"You, Seong Jihan, find things difficult?"
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⦘
At Ha Yoori's playful comment, Seong Jihan shrugged.
"I'm not a god to find everything easy."
The fourth of the Annihilation technique, Ice Heaven Sword Rain.
After Pythia mentioned this skills true intention lies in reconnaissance,

Seong Jihan spent time in the Void Training Room, repeatedly practicing it.
But...
'Reconnaissance doesn't seem to click. Sword Rain seems related, though...'
During the previous game, Sword Rain intercepted the source of the Great
Chieftain's power, Despite Seong Jihan not directly commanding it, the
swords targeted the Orc warriors automatically.
If reconnaissance is truly the intent of Ice Heaven Sword Rain, then it con‐
nects with that incident.
Yet in the Void Training Room, he could freeze the sky, but the swords
didn't form as vividly as before.
Raining down, it was more a genuine downpour than an ice storm.
While Seong Jihan pondered the Ice Heaven Sword Rain, Ha Yoori teased
with a grin.
"A god... after watching the previous game, I thought you were one. There's
even a 'Church of Seong Jihan,' you know?"
"Seong Jihan Church? What's that about?"
"What else but a religion that believes in you? That you'll be the messiah to
save humanity?"
"...Unnie, You're joking, right?"
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⦘
"No joke. Yuri's convinced such cults should be suppressed before they
grow, she's been reporting them."
Frowning, Seong Jihan became concerned.
A cult believing in a player as a deity.
Such movements were usually at the end times, and now humanity was
thriving, climbing to 5th place. Why would a cult appear all of sudden?
"I think I showed too much strength. Should I lose on purpose?"
"No, Messiah! If you have started saving us, you must continue to the end!"
"Yeah. Uncle, since it's come to this, climb to that divine throne!"
At that moment.
"...A divine throne? What are you talking about?"
"Daddy!"
Yoon Sejin, who had also been training individually, arrived at the Bat‐
tleNet center, carrying two large bouquets.
"Congratulations on joining the team, Seah."
"Hehe. Thanks."
"Congratulations to you too, Akari."
"Thank... you."
Handing out bouquets, Yoon Sejin looked at Seong Jihan, "Jihan, It seems
I'm getting a lead on what you told me last time."
"Are you talking about focusing on each sword individually?"
"Yes. I'm glad I listened to you."
397
⦘
The Sword King of the previous life, went in the direction of focusing on
the numbers of swords.
Alone, it took a long time to find the way, but with Seong Jihan's guidance,
progress was swift.
"It seems all our key players are here."
Then, Coach Noh Youngjun approached with a smile.
"We're about to start analyzing Japan's last game's footage. Normally, you
would not have to see it, but... How about it? Want to join us for the analy‐
sis?"
"Oh. I'd love to listen! I've been interested!"
Japanese power analysis.
Technically it was unnecessary given Japan's lack of threat, but...
"Sure."
With practice hitting a wall, Seong Jihan entered the analysis room to get a
change of perspective.
Then...
'Why did they get so weak?'
Watching Japan's power in the footage, Seong Jihan wondered.
=Everyone! The first Korea-Japan match of 2021 is upon us!
=The Korean national team is sailing smoothly with 2 wins in the Northeast
Asia League! Despite Seong Jihan's absence, the second game against Tai‐
wan was an easy win!
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⦘
=The double threat of Seong Jihan and the Sword King is so effective!
=On the other hand, the Japanese team is not faring well with 0 wins and 2
losses. They suffered 3:0 losses to China and Russia too.
The Northeast Asia League of 2021.
While Korea cruises with 2 wins and no losses, Japan languishes at the bot‐
tom.
=Their weakness lies in not having key players with high Gift ranks.
=But wasn't there a lack of high Gift rank players back in 2019 too? It
seems Japan's weaknesses have been magnified this year.
=True. Even with the Sword King around, our win rate against Japan was
only around 60%. The characteristic of Japan was having evenly strong
abilities across all positions, even without a key player...
=Now, their overall position strength is considered mediocre. To see such a

change in two years... they desperately need an SSS-rank Gift holder now.
In the BattleNet waiting room,
Seong Jihan listened to the Korean commentators and thought.
'It's not just the absence of a key player that's the problem. All their players
seem to have weakened.'
Between the last life and now, the only changes in Japan's power were the
Sword King's return to Korea and Shizuru's death.
The Sword King's presence or absence wouldn't sway the others' levels,
'Was Shizuru modifying other Japanese players too?'
The editing gift was indeed overpowered.
It would have been great had she used it benevolently for mankind.
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⦘
'She wasn't that kind of person.'
With her ability, there's no knowing what frivolous acts she would perform.
Believing it was right to remove her, Seong Jihan watched the ban process.
=Japan is preparing to use their ban card.
=Who would they ban?
=Surely, after Seong Jihan's incredible performance in the previous

matches, he's the top candidate...
=Exactly! He dominated the Space League, didn't he?!
While the commentators firmly expected Seong Jihan would be banned,

=Uh, what? But... it's Sword King Yoon Sejin's name written on the ban
card!
The actual result was beyond prediction.
"...Me?"
Expecting his participation, Yoon Sejin was startled by the commentators'

revelation as he held his twin swords.
Even after viewing last week's game,
Why they wouldn't ban Seong Jihan but instead him was puzzling.
"What scheme are they planning...?"
"Who knows."
Outwardly playing ignorant, Seong Jihan inwardly speculated, 'It must be

Pythia's doing.'
Pythia, who had proposed a meetup during the Korea-Japan match, Re‐
quired Seong Jihan's participation in the game as a prerequisite.
400
⦘
"...Something fishy's going on. Be careful, Jihan."
"Understood."
Addressing Yoon Sejin's concerns, who was unaware of the subplot, "My
first game with you, right uncle?"
"Let's go."
Seong Jihan joined the first set of Korea-Japan match with Yoon Seah.
=The map for game one is Southgate. It's chosen by Japan!
=Ah... facing Seong Jihan at Southgate? What in the world is the Japanese
coach thinking?
Southgate map, where Seong Jihan has continually shown exceptional per‐
formance.
It seemed a self-destructive move for Japan to choose such an optimal map

for a transcendent warrior like him.
But...
"Here! Right here!"
At the start of the game atop the ramparts,
A Japanese player suddenly appeared, waving at Seong Jihan, "Ah. It's awk‐
ward to talk here, huh? Let me invite you to a better place."
Swoosh!
With a downward sweep of his hand,
"Fall down, Apollo."
401
⦘
Whoosh!
A massive chariot of flames erupted from the sky, Crashing down upon the
earth.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
With a tremendous explosion, the ground shook.
Fires surged, engulfing the Korean national team.
Especially,
The flames wrapped around Seong Jihan at the forefront.
"Ugh..."
"What... The fire isn't extinguishing?"
"Heal, heal!"
While the rest of the team struggled at the back against the fire, The lead
flames did no harm to Seong Jihan.
Then,
[You are invited to 'Fallen Apollo's Sanctuary'.]
[Will you accept the invitation?]
A message of invitation appeared.
'The team will struggle a bit.'
Fallen Apollo's Sanctuary.
It appeared like a Greco-style circular temple made entirely of fire.
402
⦘
While created by Pythia solely to invite Seong Jihan, "Ah... can't fend off
this fire...!"
"Retreat back!"
Even the indirect influence of the fire from the temple overwhelmed the na‐
tional team players.
Whether a prophet or not, the disciple of the Martial God certainly had
power.
'But they should manage. It's their duty to overcome hurdles like this on
their own.'
As much as they couldn't always be spoon-fed solutions, "I accept the invi‐
tation."
Seong Jihan accepted the invitation to the sanctuary.
***
***
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⦘
Chapter 233
***
***
-What... What kind of attack was that?
-Did Japan have such a player?
-They didn't seem to know about it either, looking at the reactions of the Ja‐
panese players.
-- It's said that the player Mizuhara Aoi is a supporter...
-A supporter performed that kind of attack?
For viewers accustomed to foreseeing Korea's victory, the sudden appear‐

ance and skill employed by a Japanese player proved shocking.
When the fiery chariot struck the ground, the earth instantly turned into a
blazing inferno, engulfing the players. The Korean warriors tried to resist,
but one by one they succumbed to the flames and turned to ash.
-Without Seong Jihan and the Sword King, Korea is basically at the bottom
of warrior rankings lol -But, we have Seong Jihan, don't we?
Even as warriors perished, viewers found solace in Seong Jihan's firm

stance at the front. However, the situation changed as his figure suddenly
vanished with a flash.
-Ohhh... Seong Jihan disappeared...!
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⦘
-He was sucked into that fiery sanctuary and vanished!
-And... Aoi, the Japanese player who was on the ramparts, disappeared too!
-Mizuhara Aoi was registered as a supporter in the lineup... how could she
use such a skill?
As the stalwart Seong Jihan disappeared along with Aoi, and the fiery sanc‐
tuary cast one last burst of flames before disappearing itself, the battle‐
ground was left with the Korean team, having lost more than half its
strength including the frontline warriors, and faced by the Japanese team
with only Aoi missing.
"What in the world just happened? What transpired on the ramparts?"
" Mizuhara did it! She's behind this."
"Mizuhara? Wasn't she a supporter?"
Even though the Japanese team players were stunned, seasoned as they
were, they quickly understood the tempo of the battle.
"We must advance now while Seong Jihan is gone!"
"Their forces are halved!"
"if Seong Jihan returns, it will be over. We have to finish the game before
that!"
With the frontline gone due to the Flame Sanctuary, the Japanese players
decided to press an offensive despite being the defenders.
"Change formation!"
The Japanese warriors switched from Turtle to Wedge formation and ad‐
vanced first. The archers and mages from Japan's side began to descend
from the ramparts one by one. Meanwhile, "Ugh, the frontline is completely
wiped out..."
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⦘
"For now... we should retreat until Seong Jihan comes back!"
With more than half its power lost, the Korean team began to fall back. The
tides of offense and defense had completely turned. But...
= Oh no... Seong Jihan isn't back yet.
= The Korean team has reached the edge of the Southgate map!
=There's nowhere else to run!
=Can the game really end like this in game one...?
Southgate, being a small map dominated by combat at the gates, had a finite
boundary the defensive side could retreat to.
Surrounded by black walls, the map's end left no further room for maneu‐
ver.
"Ah..."
"We're doomed..."
"I thought Seong Jihan would be back by now..."
The Korean team reached the end of the line, despair written all over their
faces. An easily anticipated game had gone awry, leaving them cornered.
"That's it. They are cornered!"
"Wipe them out before Seong Jihan comes back!"
The Japanese team surrounded the Korean formation confidently, now en‐
joying a two-fold advantage --- and Korea critically lacking warriors.
-Wait what?! Hold on! Damn, I bet everything on a 3:0 victory!
-Why would you do something crazy like that for 1% gain..
406
⦘
-I thought it was a safe bet... aaahhh!
Desperate cries echoed across the chat as footsteps approached. Yoon Seah,
clad in light armor, stepped forward.
"Void Arrow."
A violet sheen emanated from the seemingly empty bowstring, and with a
twang, "Cough...!"
"What the... Out of nowhere...!"
Several Japanese warriors fell in an instant.
"Uncle... looks like you're taking a little break from our debut match to‐
gether."
Yoon Seah, whose Void Arrows proved effective even against national-level
players, smiled as she looked to the side.
"Give me cover, Akari Unnie"
"Yes, Seah nim"
And like that, the momentary hope for the Japanese team, induced by Seong
Jihan's disappearance, gave way to new despair.
Meanwhile,
[The owner of the sanctuary has turned off BattleTube.]
[Would you like to turn the BattleTube back on? Doing so will prevent you
from entering the sanctuary.]
"No."
As Seong Jihan responded, the darkened world transformed.
407
⦘
'This place... it's like a pit of hell.'
Fallen Apollo's Sanctuary was engulfed in flames in every direction.
Boom! Boom!
Meteors burned in the sky, hitting the ground and causing tremors, while
lava spewed again and again, painting an apocalyptic visage.
'Yet, none of this affects me.'
The intense flames didn't bother Seong Jihan at all as if he were separ ated
from this world. As he looked around, a woman with red hair emerged from
the flames.
"You've arrived."
"Are you the real Pythia?"
"Yes. You can see Divination, can't you?"
The blue-eyed woman closed her eyes, and a shining light appeared on her
forehead where beautiful facial features rose.
The light gathered into a circular shape that moved like an eye, making
Seong Jihan furrow his eyebrows.
"That's something I've seen from my sister. That thing."
"The witch of the void, you mean? Of course, with the Eye of Divination,
she'd have been chosen as a witch."
"What is that role for?"
"This? It has many functions. I can see the future, watch over the world
broadly, and even preside over doomsday."
As she said this, Pythia glanced around them.
408
⦘
"How does this world appear to you?"
"Like a pit of hell."
"Yes. Invoking hell, the vision of doomsday. I have always thought this was
my divine power. But... it wasn't."
With a flash from the Eye of Divination, the surrounding flames extin‐
guished, replaced by ice.
Sssshhh...
And in the place where Seong Jihan and Pythia stood, an ice table and
chairs formed. She pointed to a chair for Seong Jihan.
"This might take some time, let's sit and talk."
"Alright."
Thud!
As Seong Jihan sat, Pythia got to the point.
"Did the hint I gave you last time help you understand more about your
power?"
"No. I couldn't find out more about the Sword Rain from Ice Heaven Sword
Rain. The swords just wouldn't come out."
"Sword Rain... Would you like to try using it now? Right up into that sky."
Seong Jihan nodded, drawing out Eclipse.
Thudding quickly, the shadowy sword froze, and he threw it familiarly into
the sky.
Fundamental Divine Arts: Annihilation God's Secret -- Ice Heaven Sword

Rain Meteors in the sky seemed to freeze instantaneously. Before Ice
Heaven even expanded, a giant sword descended from the sky toward
409
⦘
Pythia. A Sword Rain that had never emerged in the Void Training Room
erupted at once here.
"Stop."
As Pythia's Eye of Divination flickered, the Sword Rain halted mid-air. She
nodded, seeing the sword tip pointing at her.
"As expected, the sword takes on a searching role."
"Why did it target you, though?"
"Because I went against the laws of nature."
"Laws of nature?"
"Yes. I received immortality from the Wandering Martial God."
Pythia then looked away from the sword and at Seong Jihan again.
"Do you know why different races were invited to BattleNet?"
"I heard from Artemus. It happens when a certain being overwhelmingly

surpasses the limits of its race?"
According to Artemus, an invitation to BattleNet acts as an error detection

mechan ism. When a being becomes overwhelmingly powerful beyond the
limits of its race, BattleNet sends an invitation for a deathmatch.
"That's correct. But what's most important for the invitation's criteria is life‐
span."
"Lifespan..."
"Yes. How much it exceeds the race' lifespan limit is the first criterion for
whether an invitation is issued. And... the swords from Ice Heaven Sword
Rain serve that purpose, too."
"So that's why it has a searching role?"
410
⦘
As Seong Jihan peered at the Sword Rain still targeting Pythia, he ex‐
pressed his doubts.
"But why did it target the Orc horde? They're not all immortal."
"He performed a ritual to take away the force of his warriors. From them,
he took not only strength but also life force. The swords targeted the source
of life."
The Great Chieftain of the Orcs was exceptional because he robbed strength
from his kin, not just power but also lifespan. If that's the case, it would be
considered an error.
"And like this..."
Softly.
A water-made sword ejected from Pythia's body, like a miniaturized version

of the Sword Rain. Twisting like taffy, it pointed at Pythia, its creator.
"Swords with searching abilities not only aimed at me but also at the Mar‐
tial God."
"At the Martial God? I heard he belonged to the god race..."
Seong Jihan recalled his conversation with Artemus, discussing why the in‐
vitation came to Earth. When suggesting it might be due to the Martial God,
Artemus scoffed and argued otherwise.
[He has been the wandering Martial God for thousands of years. By that
point, he's not considered part of your human race, but a divine one. If there
had ever been a problem with him, you'd have received an invitation to Bat‐
tleNet long ago.]
Certainly, Artemus had a point; if the Martial God was the issue, the invita‐
tion would have come long ago. Why would it come in the 21st century? So
Seong Jihan had thought maybe he was the cause for the BattleNet invita‐
tion...
411
⦘
"I also believed that he was of divine race. He granted us the power to live
eternally, reigning over the universe as the Martial God for ages. But... for
the Sword Rain to aim at him."
"Does that mean the Martial God is human?"
"He's definitely not a deity. And since the invitation came to humanity... it's
likely he's human."
The wandering Martial God, a fearsome existence in the universe for over a
thousand years. Him, a human?
But such acceptance was not easy without addressing Artemus' counterargu‐
ment.
"Then... Why wasn't there a BattleNet on Earth before now?"
"I don't know the cause either... but it's certain the swords targeted him."
"Hmm..."
Swords like BattleNet invitations that detect errors, also targeted the Martial
God. If he were acknowledged by BattleNet as a divine being, the sword
wouldn't have pointed at him. So the hypothes is of him being human might
seem right. But...
The question of why the invitation came in the 21st century remained un‐
solved.
'It's still speculative.'
Deciding not to rush judgments.
Suddenly, Pythia's Eye of Divination glowed, creating a blue barrier around

them, blocking the outside view.
"By chance... can you awaken the third and fifth technique too?"
"I guess. If I train more in martial arts, perhaps someday."
412
⦘
"Then could you complete the fifth before the third?"
"You mean the fifth Annihilation God's Secret?"
Seong Jihan frowned. The fifth technique, associated with the wood ele‐
ment, was something even an immensely strengthened him daunted to at‐
tempt. Among the other four, it was distinctly on a different level.
"I can't assure quick mastery. It's the final divine power."
"How did you manage to complete the fourth, Ice Heaven Sword Rain, so
quickly?"
"That, I got the hang of it after seeing you project cold energy last time. Be‐
fore then, I didn't even dare to think about it."
"Then... to help you catch the feeling, I'll let you know the name of the fifth
disciple."
Pythia lowered her voice and shared,
"He is... the King of Uruk, Gilgamesh."
***
***
413
⦘
Chapter 234
***
***
Seong Jihan recalled the man that Pythia had shown him last time upon
hearing the name.
A man with brown curly hair, long beard, and tanned skin.
When he asked if the man was Middle Eastern, she immediately confirmed
it.
"So, that Middle Easterner was Gilgamesh?"
"Yes. Do you know about Gilgamesh?"
"I've heard of the Epic of Gilgamesh. A character who struggled to escape

death but eventually died nonetheless."
"That's right. Despite his strenuous efforts, he eats the Herb of Immortality,
but a snake steals it away. The story conveys that humans cannot reject
death, but..."
"The very same person achieved immortality like Dongbang Sak, becoming
a disciple of the Martial God in pursuit of longevity."
Pythia shook her head at Seong Jihan's guess.
"No. It's not because of the lifespan that he became the disciple of the Mar‐
tial God."
414
⦘
"Really?"
"Yes. He did eat the Herb of Immortality. I heard it from him directly."
"The herb from the story? Then why did he become the disciple of the Mar‐
tial God?"
"I don't know. He didn't talk about that."
Certainly, if he himself is silent, and the Martial God does not speak, there
would be no other way to learn the truth.
Seong Jihan put aside his curiosity and asked Pythia, "But why does he
want his authority to be completed first?"
"...He always sleeps when the Martial god is awake. Conversely, when the
Martial god is absent, he is active."
"Gilgamesh?"
"Yes. I've... never seen the Martial God and Gilgamesh together."
And with that, Pythia carefully added more to her statement.
"What I have mistaken for my power... the summoning of hell, the embodi‐
ment of the apocalypse. These were taught by the Martial God and fleshed
out with the advice of Gilgamesh."
"Then..."
"I am... suspecting a connection between Gilgamesh and the Martial God.
Perhaps, wondering if they could be the same person..."
They don't act together.
And like the Martial God, gave advice different from his original powers.
Based on just these two facts, one forming a theory that the Martial God
and Gilgamesh are the same person seems far-fetched.
415
⦘
"Only insiders would know the details, but isn't the evidence too scant to
make such a claim?"
"......You're right about that. Nevertheless, a prophet's intuition has been

whispering oddities to me ever since you used the Ice Heaven Sword Rain."
"Hmm. On top of that, when I was naming the martial art 'Fundamental Di‐
vine Arts', you predicted that Gilgamesh and the Martial God were fight‐
ing."
When revealing the name of the Nameless Divine Art.
[Martial God... I knew I couldn't defeat you. The Fundamental Divine Arts,
based on the information of mankind... Even I, being human, cannot surpass
this.]
Pythia had said this through prophecy.
So, the prediction that she had utterly turned over didn't seem completely
off the mark.
Annoyed by her own prophecy, Pythia smiled bitterly.
"That's right. That's how I predicted it. But... something feels suspicious."
"The evidence is scant, yet you have a hunch?"
"......Yes. Even if they are not the same person, there's certainly some spe‐
cial connection."
"Hmm... But what benef it do I have if I finish the fifth technique first?"
"Benef it...... you say?"
Caught by Seong Jihan's words, Pythia blinked.
"Yes. For me, it seems right to complete the third technique next, in chrono‐
logical order. The fifth feels far and I barely have a grasp on it."
416
⦘
"That's......"
"Regardless of whether the Martial God and Gilgamesh are indeed the same
person, Figuring this out needs to be to my benef it. If there's no guarantee,
then it's better to complete the martial arts in order."
Pythia had been serious about whether the Martial God and Gilgamesh were
the same person.
But from Seong Jihan's point of view, the sentiment was more like 'So
what?'.
"No... but that is important...!"
"Yes, for you, it might be. However, completing my martial arts is more im‐
portant than their relationship."
"......Understood. I will share all the information I've gathered."
"Information, will knowing it make it possible to stand against the Martial

God?"
"That's uncertain......."
"If that's the case, I need more in return."
Seong Jihan calmly extended his hand.
Curious? Offer more payment.
An incredulous Pythia looked at him, then sighed deeply.
"Ha... after all the valuable information about Gilgamesh I gave you... that's
too much."
"Then consider telling me the third technique as well."
"That's enough. I won't share that with you. And as for the price... All right.
Your sister, the Witch of The Void. Let me share her burden."
417
⦘
"Her burden? What do you mean?"
"The Witch of the void, as time passes, gets buried in nothingness. Espe‐
cially after managing the apocalypse, maintaining even self consciousness
becomes difficult."
"......Is that so?"
"Yes. At this rate, your sister won't live long. Although her body might re‐
main, her soul and consciousness will disappear."
Seong Jihan frowned.
This suggested a time limit for his sister's life.
He remembered the locks binding Seong Jiah.
An aggressive void power held in five locks.
With such things wrapped around her, it wouldn't be strange if she got swal‐
lowed up anytime.
"This is... a proposal I can't refuse."
"Good. Then, when you awaken the fifth technique, I'll take on the Witch's
burden."
"How about all of my sister's burden?"
"Woah, too much. Asking to take it all, you're too much! We'll split the bur‐
den. If I take more than half, I won't last either."
"Hmm... Aren't you supposed to have lived since the Greek era? That's
about 2000 years, right?"
"What, what?! Saying I lived long enough, so it's okay if I die now? Is that
a way of saying old people should depart?"
Pythia seemed pricked by Seong Jihan's words and her voice rose sharply.
418
⦘
"No, It's just that you've lived long. I never mentioned anything about old
people?"
"Ugh. That's the nuance you're giving off...!"
Pythia glared at Seong Jihan sternly and then suddenly, with a serious ex‐
pression, looked around as if sensing something.
"....Ah"
"This is... I've been here for too long. I have to disperse for today."
"Got it. Are you going to participate in the competition? As a representative

of Japan?"
"Japan? Ah, my avatar, you mean? No, there's no need for me to fight you.
Originally, I wanted to teach you a lesson too, but..."
With a wicked smile, Pythia continued.
"You'll receive your lesson from Dongbang Sak. "
"Dongbang Sak. He's here too?"
"Yes. In Taiwan. He was sorry you weren't there last time... don't avoid the
next match."
Seong Jihan recalled the Taiwanese elderly player who had swept the first
set against the Korean team in the previous match.
Did he not appear from the second game because of exhaustion?
At the time, it was suspicious that players out of nowhere showed up,
turned out it was Dongbang Sak.
"Avoid him? It's just that I couldn't play due to my training. I will have to
prevail against him too."
419
⦘
"Ha ha ha! Win? Against Dongbang Sak?"
As if Pythia heard something absurd, dismissing the idea with a wave of her
hand.
"He is considered the second closest person to the Martial God, excluding
the wandering Martial God. It's difficult to stand even one minute before his
sword."
"Hmm. Is that so?"
"Want to bet? If you can withstand him for one minute, I'll give you one
prophecy for free. But if you lose, you tell me all your martial art names."
One minute?
Regardless of Dongbang Sak's strength, that seemed rather undervalued.
Seong Jihan nodded.
"Sure. I accept the bet."
"Good! Now, I'll leave first."
Whoosh!
As soon as Pythia vanished, the ice chairs and table disappeared too.
And the flames began to fill the place quickly.
With Pythia's cold gone, the fiery hell returned as before.
"Hmm..."
However, the flames suddenly started to scorch Seong Jihan's skin unlike
before.
Wondering why it was suddenly causing damage, Seong Jihan's thought

process was interrupted.
420
⦘
[Oh, by the way, I felt really uncomfortable being treated like a grand‐
mother. So, come out with all your might in the sanctuary! By the way, I
spread the sanctuary earlier, and half of your national team was wiped
out~.]
Pythia's voice faded into his ears.
"Such pettiness at this age."
[What. What!? Uh, M-Master... I-I'll go now...]
Interrupted by an outburst and then called by the Martial God, Pythia's

voice fades away.
Seong Jihan, surrounded by the fiery hell, waved his sword casually.
Whoosh!
A single current of sword wind caused the fire to die down momentarily,
only for it to rage on fiercely again.
Using various martial arts, Seong Jihan tried to extinguish the flames, but
they seemed to die down only to burst forth anew.
'This isn't just something brute force will fix...'
Then what about a different approach?
Seong Jihan gazed into the flames and tossed his Eclipse sword high into
the sky.

Rain Ddddddrip!
The sky instantly froze over.
But instead of the life source being traced by the swords as before, 'Within
Ice Heaven, the water is writhing.'
421
⦘
Having learned the essence of Ice Heaven Sword Rain while conversing
with Pythia earlier, Seong Jihan could now apply it more flexibly than be‐
fore.
'I'll lower the tracking standards of the Sword Rain.'
Rather than chasing only the life source, it's better to search for the non-ex‐
tinguishing core of this sanctuary.
So, he adjusted his tracking to a lower level.
Ssssshh...
Instead of a massive sword of water, it began to rain down in sword-shaped

droplets.
'Did I lower the criteria too much?'
The Sword Rain, indiscriminate and falling everywhere, wasn't fixing on to

any one thing, 'But, there seems to be a converging point here...'
Right before Seong Jihan's eyes, where the ice table had stood moments be‐
fore, the rain increasingly focused.
Tddddrrrrrup...!
The downpour, shaped like swords, quenching the fire, cooling the earth.
As the strikes persisted,
[Ahhh....!]
A giant face burst forth from the ground.
Composed of fire, it carried androgynous beauty, making it hard to tell if it

was male or female.
Where eyes should have been, there was nothing, hauntingly empty.
422
⦘
'This is the origin of fire power.'
This sanctuary was called by the name of Apollo, could this face possibly
be Apollo himself?
As Seong Jihan harbored that thought,
[Ah... Ahh...]
The face, being relentlessly assaulted by the Sword Rain, slowly extin‐
guished.
And with it,
The sanctuary vanished from the site, revealing the original Southgate map
from game one.
50 : 100.
The disadvantage to the Korean team was significant.
'Need to get to them quickly.'
Once back on the map fully, Seong Jihan drew out both weapons.
Pythia didn't specifically hinder him, so sweeping away the enem

ies should
be simple.
"Uh..."
"Uncle! You're here?"
As soon as Seong Jihan returned to the game, Yoon Seah greeted him with a
bright smile from behind.
It was a 50:100 game, so Seong Jihan was worried if she might have died in
her debut, but it seemed to have worked out somehow.
"You're alive? Not too late, right?"
423
⦘
Despite seeing her energetic appearance, Seong Jihan couldn't help but
worry.
"No. You're late."
"Late?"
"Yes. Look behind you."
Seong Jihan turned to look.
There were Japanese players collapsed all around. Players who couldn't
even approach and were shot through.
Even the remaining survivors were all looking at Yoon Seah with eyes full
of admiration.
"This is..."
"The 1st round MVP... I'll take it, Uncle."
Ping!
Yoon Seah flicked her bowstring once more and smiled brightly.
***
***
424
⦘
Chapter 235
***
***
Moments ago.
Yoon Seah, at the forefront with Akari, fought valiantly, taking down
dozens of players, but...
"I've got you now!"
In the end, she conceded distance.
"Kill her!"
Japanese players, with infuriated expressions, drew their weapons.
Akari put up a good fight but couldn't block every player approaching.
Swoosh!
A gleaming blade lunged towards Yoon Seah.
However,
Ssshh!
"Bye-bye~"
Yoon Seah stuck out her tongue playfully as she stepped into the veil of
void.
425
⦘
The blade sliced nothing but the empty air.
"What......."
Then, out of thin air, only her bow appeared.
Twang!
The bowstring snapped, and a Japanese warrior was pierced through.
Seong Jihan had disappeared, and everybody thought the first set was a
loss.
But unexpectedly, Yoon Seah, joining the national team for the first time to‐
day, demonstrated a surprising performance.
Viewers from both nations had polarized reactions.
-Seong Jihan disappeared, why...?
-What are the Japanese warriors doing? Can't they handle one girl who's de‐
buting today?
-Come on, win the first match!
-Are they seriously going to waste the chance Mizuhara created...?
With the game evening out after Seong Jihan's disappearance, where Japa‐
nese viewers had briefly harbored hope, now they despaired.
-I didn't know Yoon Seah was such a good player!
-Wow, really... these are some messed-up plays lol!!
-What was that? She can even dodge attacks from national-level players?
-Is she hacking?
426
⦘
Korean viewers, ready to concede the first game, were enthused, feeling
like a new hero had joined their team.
And so, unable to suppress Yoon Seah, the Japanese team increasingly
found their numerical advantage shrinking.
Ssssh...
As Seong Jihan appeared out of nowhere, their expressions turned to de‐

spair.
"Se-Seong Jihan... He's back!"
"Mizuhara is..."
"She's not here... was she taken down?"
"Da-dammit...! We should have finished it before he came back!"
"Let's... Let's head for the fortress for now!"
As Seong Jihan appeared, the Japanese team began to back away.
Despite all their preparations, as they had originally intended to defend, ev‐
eryone prepared to retreat.
"Seah. If I wipe them all out, will I take the MVP from you?"
"Ah. Uncle. That's a bit... it's my debut match, let me have the MVP once."
"Hmm..."
Seong Jihan stroked his chin, then thrust his sword at the enem
ies.
Fundamental Divine Arts, Annihilation God's Secret -- Myriad Ghost Seal‐

ing Gods.
The shadow sword quickly transformed into a giant vortex.
427
⦘
"Oh. Uh...!"
"That's a black vortex!"
"If you get sucked in, you're dead...!"
"Resist it somehow!"
The retreating Japanese players began to be drawn into it.
They struggled to avoid being sucked into the Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods ,
but the strong suction made them float helplessly in mid-air.
However, the Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods was slower than usual in absorb‐
ing them because Seong Jihan was in control of its power.
"Before you get sucked in, take more of them out."
"Oh, you're giving me the chance? Got it!"
Determined to grab the MVP title in her debut game, Yoon Seah eagerly
pulled her bowstring.
Pluck! Pluck!
One by one, the Japanese players were pierced.
Difficult to block arrows while being caught in the vortex.
Warriors could last a few rounds, but supporters and mages were straight‐
forward targets.
"This should secure the MVP for me."
After counting the number of enemy players Seong Jihan had dispatched,
Whissssh!
He increased the suction strength of the Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods.
428
⦘
With that, the slowly drawn-in Japanese players were all swept into the vor‐
tex.
In a flash, they were torn apart.
= Player Seong Jihan wraps up the game immediately upon his return!
= Was he controlling his power earlier, just to let Yoon Seah have the MVP
title?
= Truthfully, thanks to Yoon Seah buying time, the victory was assured even
without the controlled effort...
= Still, he made sure to buy the time!
In the Space League, Seong Jihan demonstrated overwhelming strength.
Having been temporarily sealed by the sudden emergence of a Japanese

player, unable to use his powers.
As soon as he began to take full action, the first set ended rather unevent‐
fully.
=The MVP of the first game is.......
=Ah. Indeed, it goes to Yoon Seah!
=She held her ground well on the frontlines in the first game together with
player Akari!
=Another prodigy appears on the Korean national team!
The first match MVP went to Yoon Seah.
Although Seong Jihan later piled up the kills, even without that, she had
clearly earned her MVP title.
-Wow... Yoon Seah is disgustingly powerful; an archer shielding warrior as‐

saults at the frontline lol -Why is everyone from that family like that??
429
⦘
What are they taking?
-The national team's lineup is insane compared to a year ago lol -Yeah, they
ran at the bottom of the rankings until Seong Jihan showed up lol -I almost
considered immigrating during those times.
Entering 2021.
With the Sword King joining and the emergence of a new talent Yoon Seah,
the Korean national team significantly strengthened.
On the other hand, the atmosphere on the Japanese side, without tangible
reinforcements, was grim.
-The chance Mizuhara created...
-Ha, but we can win! Ban Seong Jihan, and Mizuhara can seal the Sword
King!
-What about Yoon Seah then? She was the cause of the loss in the first set.
-Ah... as expected, we can't beat Korea.
-Unless a supporter map is chosen, it's impossible...
Russia's consistent victory card against Korea, the 'Golem Duel' supporter
map, became Japan's only hope.
In Golem Duel, the supporter's abilities alone determine the winner.
Even with the monster-like Seong Jihan, he couldn't dominate the game
here.
=The Japanese coach bans Seong Jihan and selects the Golem Duel map!
=As expected...The first game was unusual! Japan's supporter strength is

definitely an advantage, making this their only winning formula.
=Coach Noh Youngjun pulls out Southgate....
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⦘
=Oh... as expected. Japan selected the Golem Duel map!
And then...
As the Japanese coach got their desired Golem Duel map, Noh Youngjun's
brows furrowed.
'This is... becoming a real problem every single time.'
Golem Duel, a supporter map.
It was a map where victory was determined by golem versus golem, and
where the player could only provide buffs and healing to their golem.
Unable to partake in the combat themselves, it's almost the only map where
the all-encompassing Seong Jihan couldn't wield his might, after Russia had
fun with this map in a previous match.
Ever since then, every country facing Korea prioritized this map.
And then,
=Ah.......
=Again, the Golem Duel map proves tough......!
=Japan's golem is putting serious pressure on ours......!
The Korean national team couldn't bridge the perceived gap in supporter
strength.
And they ended up facing defeat.
-Ah, really hate that map lol
-Can't Seong Jihan participate in the Golem Duel?
-He doesn't have supporter abilities, he'd be useless even if he did -That's
the only counter map for Seong Jihan lol
431
⦘
-Ah... at this rate, Seong Jihan. You have to charm Sophia! Naturalize her!
-He has a partner, right? lol
-I authorize polygamy!
After losing because of the Golem Duel in the second game.
The Korean audience was like, oh well, too bad, bring over Sophia, but
then...
"Uh. Uh......."
"The third game also lands on the Golem Duel map!"
As the third game also fell onto the Golem Duel map, the mood became
grim.
-No... wait. Isn't this statistically improbab le......?
-With a 70 percent probab ility on the select card to land a map. So each
country's probab ility is 35 percent, very possible.......
-But two times in a row is a 12 percent chance...
-So, what's the probab ility of the Golem Duel popping up again?
-Multiply 35 percent three times and that's 4 percent lol -Ah f*ck... surely,
we won't hit that 4 percent, right?
Thanks to the Japanese coach's divine card drawing skills.
Even as Coach Noh Youngjun banned Japan's best supporter Sakura in re‐
sponse.
= Ah...... We lost the third game.
=With player Sakura banned, we might've thought we had a chance...
432
⦘
= Still, our supporter strength is no match for Japan!
The third game, just like the second, ended with the same result.
"Ah. Uncle... Sophia says she wants to come to Korea, should we actively
pursue her naturalization?"
"No need. Why bother with that?"
"But really, if Golem Duel strikes three times in a row, isn't that the end?"
"What's the chance of that happening?"
"If only Jiah were here......."
Priestess Seong Jiah, who had shown remarkable abilities as a supporter.
Had she been on the national team, they wouldn't have been exploited so
unilaterally.
Unable to compete in two games, Seong Jihan and the group could only
watch the screen.
=The Japanese team has casually scored 2 wins with an air of ease!
=On the flip side, Coach Noh Youngjun's hands are trembling while picking
the cards.
=Ah, the Japanese coach picks Golem Duel again! How persistent!
=No, but surely, it won't be playing Golem Duel three times in a row...
right?
=There can't be a fourth consecutive Golem Duel at 4 percent probab ility!
=Just don't land on it in the fourth game! No bans or select cards are given
in the fifth game!
And then the map for the fourth game was chosen.
433
⦘
"Ah......!"
The fates of the two coaches intertwined.
The next day, at the Sword Palace Penthouse.
[The Republic of Korea struggles to win 3:2 against Japan!]
[Korea got toyed in the Golem Duel map! Weaknesses exposed.]
[The only game Seong Jihan can't partake in, Golem Duel map. What's the
counter strategy?]
"I really thought we were going to lose my debut game in a ridiculous way."
Yoon Seah sighed deeply while reading the news articles.
Compared to when facing Japanese warriors, the moment the Japanese

coach drew a card felt a hundred times more nerve-wracking.
-Oh, I almost lost and went bankrupt...
-Indeed, gambling is not a good idea for sure.
-I turned off the TV when drawing the cards because I was shaking so
much. Lol.
-How can we not solve this Golem Duel map? Really want to ban the map
itself ㅡㅡ
After the intense card drawing by the Japanese coach yesterday, many peo‐
ple seemed to have their hearts pounding.
Everyone was only talking about the Golem Duel map.
"The Japanese are criticizing the coach for not selecting the Golem Duel
map from the first game."
434
⦘
"Twice in a row was enough. They ask too much."
"That's it, uncle. Ah~ but my debut articles are buried because of that
Golem Duel!"
"They aren't gone, are they?"
To the disappointed Yoon Seah, Seong Jihan pointed to the headlines on the
portal site home page.
[1st Game MVP Yoon Seah has a successful debut!]
[1st Game MVP Yoon Seah. 4th Game MVP Yoon Sejin. 5th Game MVP
Seong Jihan. The family takes turns claiming the MVP.]
[The series MVP goes to Seong Jihan...]
The news articles touched on Yoon Seah's impressive debut at the Korea-
Japan Series.
"Uh... still, it feels like the limelight was stolen by the Golem Duel map."
She wasn't satisfied with the amount of news coverage.
"That can't be helped. The game was almost lost, after all. Blame the Japa‐
nese coach's card-picking skills."
"It won't do, uncle. Let's bring Sophia over. With her, the Korea national
team is sure to win."
"No need. No need to bring her over."
"Eh, but with Sophia, we could definitely win the championship!"
Yoon Seah argued with disappointment, but...
"We'll win even without her."
Seong Jihan waved it off, dismissing the idea.
435
⦘
"Eh, but when you have a surefire card to win..."
As Yoon Seah was about to express her dissatisfaction at Seong Jihan's firm
rejection, her phone vibrated.
"Oh? Uncle. Sophia's in Korea."
"...Why?"
"Huh? Uncle, Sophia says she's in a hurry to see you. It's really urgent re‐
garding the Priestess."
An urgent matter......
Something urgent... related to the Priestess.
"Alright. Tell her to come over."
"Yep! I'll let her know."
Thus, Yoon Seah, right there and then, called Sophia.
***
***
436
⦘
Chapter 236
***
***
"Jihan~"
Upon arriving at the Sword Palace, Sophia waved cheerfully at Seong Jihan
the moment she saw him.
"I watched the last match against Japan. How about it? You need me, don't
you?"
"Well, not really."
"Why not!? There aren't many supporters like me. Plus, in the Golem Duel,
my gift will be as effective as if it's SSS-rank, right?"
Sophia's SS-rank gift, Trinity, enhanced all buff effects threefold.
In a map like the Golem Duel, where only buffs and heals are applied, her
gift proved even more effective than its original grade.
"Just tell me to come, and I'll naturalize immediately! I've gotten better at
speaking Korean too."
"It's fine, really."
Sophia, having been with the Daegi guild for a while, had quickly climbed
to the Diam
ond League, surpassing her previous capabilities.
437
⦘
In the United States, they were preparing for her possible recruitment as a
supporter once her level rose slightly more.
Actually, if it weren't for the USA national team's criteria of only choosing
those above level 245, Sophia would have been selected long ago.
Thump! Thump!
Watching this from the side, Yoon Seah nudged Seong Jihan in the ribs.
"Uncle... Sophia wants to come over so much, bring her now! If the USA
team recruits her first, it'll be harder to get her!"
"I won't bring her."
"I don't get it... With her, isn't it a confirmed win for Korea in the Champi‐
ons League?"
"That's what I'm saying! We can win for the first time as a third world coun‐
try!"
Winning the Champions League.
Although its value had declined since the inauguration of the Space League
in 2020, it remained a goal every player dreamt of and sought to achieve.
Yoon Seah couldn't understand why her uncle was stubborn when a shortcut
to victory was right before them.
As Yoon Seah patted her chest in frustration, Seong Jihan spoke up.
"I don't want to poach talent from another country."
"Why?"
"Think about your dad."
"Ah... Dad was enchanted, but this is her choice!"
438
⦘
"That's right! I just want to come to Korea because I like you, Seong Jihan!"
"That's why it's troublesome."
Sophia's one-sided favor.
For Seong Jihan, who might have to face death at any moment as the Mar‐
tial God, there was no room to accept it.
'Besides, she's even more aggressive than in my past life.'
For now, it's overlooked as there's distance between Korea and the USA.
If she naturalizes to South Korea and they got closer, it'll be harder to push
her away.
"Plus, I can't tell Sophia to leave her family and come to Korea just for the
Champions League."
"It's about time I become independent anyway! My parents will surely un‐
derstand!"
"It doesn't matter. I won't accept it even if you come."
"Wow... that's so mean! Didn't you say you'd accept me if I become the top
supporter?"
"Compete for the top spot first, then."
"Huh... why let this opportunity slip..."
As Seong Jihan rebuffed the eager SS-rank supporter, Yoon Seah felt a tinge
of regret.
With Sophia in the national team, victory seemed within grasp.
"Sigh... Usually, you'd be the one asking me. That's a pity. What if I get re‐
cruited by the USA team?"
439
⦘
"Well, nothing can be done then. So... was the urgent matter about natural‐
ization?"
Sophia cast a sidelong glance at Seong Jihan, trying to change the subject,
then wore a serious expression.
"No. My personal desire for naturalization is separ ate... "
"Then what is it?"
"I've received a revelation."
"A revelation, you say?"
"Yes."
A revelation.
Even for a Priestess class, could such a thing be possible?
Looking puzzled, Seong Jihan listened as Sophia lowered her voice.
"Priestess Jeanne D'arc appeared in my dream."
"Jeanne D'arc?"
Jeanne D'arc was the priestess who had led France to victory but ended up
condemned to the flames.
'I never heard Sophia mention Jeanne D'arc in my previous life.'
Why would she suddenly appear in her dream now?
Initially, Seong Jihan thought it was another difference from his previous
life.
"...So, Jeanne D'arc says she'll help lighten the burden of the priestess en‐
gulfed in the void."
440
⦘
As Sophia began to describe the revelation of Jeanne D'arc, he felt a strange

sense of déjà vu.
If it's the priestess engulfed in the void, it must refer to his sister, Seong
Jiah.
And to lessen her burden...
'It sounds similar to what Pythia said.'
Pythia claimed that upon awakening Gilgamesh's authority, the fifth Annihi‐
lation Technique, she would help lift the burden of the Witch of The Void,
Seong Jiah.
Now, Jeanne D'arc in Sophia's dream was saying something in a similar

context.
Till then, Seong Jihan was skeptical.
"...And, Jeanne D'arc stated that if you hear about this, you will know what
it means."
"And?"
"She declared confidence in you keeping your promise and said she'd pre‐
pare a space in advance for it."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. She intends to pass the Holy Flame to me for that purpose."
By now, he was convinced of Jeanne D'arc's identity.
'Was Jeanne D'arc, Pythia?'
Nostradamus, Jeanne D'arc.
He wondered since when had the Prophet undertaken the role of a priestess.
441
⦘
'Since her actual power was water rather than fire, she's preparing to trans‐
fer the energy she accumulated to Sophia, isn't she...?'
Seong Jihan recalled Pythia's power.
The intensity of the flames in the fallen sanctuary of Apollo.
Such a potent force, being passed on to Sophia just like that?
"The Holy Flame... Won't it be dangerous?"
"Ah! Are you worried about it?"
"Of course."
"Hehe. Don't worry! Jeanne D'arc said she couldn't pass too much at once.
She said it will build up slowly, so I'll have time to adapt easily."
Sophia's face brightened as Seong Jihan showed concern.
Yoon Seah watched her from the side, shaking her head.
"Sophia... Honestly. Getting pleased by just one word from him, what will
you do in the future? You'll end up being led around by him!"
"It's okay. I want to keep being led around by him!"
"Ugh. Seriously... What's so great about the uncle?"
"Why? He's the world's greatest warrior. The coolest in the world."
"...Sigh. Forget it."
Yoon Seah gave up on advising Sophia.
What's the point of playing hard to get when she's so straightforward?
"Well, even if you say that, I don't plan on dragging her around."
442
⦘
"It's okay. You'll see my face often from now on! You'll naturally be drawn
to me."
"...Aren't you going to the United States?"
Sophia responded to Seong Jihan's question by smiling bright and open

while spreading her palm.
Whooosh...!
Then, a small white flame sprouted lively from her hand.
"Jeanne D'arc said that to fully transfer her Holy Flame, I need to be near
the Abyss."
"The Abyss in North Korean land, you mean?"
"Yes. She mentioned that preparations must be made here for a definite
sharing of the burden..."
Expecting Seong Jihan to awaken the abilities of Gilgamesh early, that's

why Pythia was diligently making preparations.
Seong Jihan mused,
'She's really keen on it. We haven't even found a clue on our side yet.'
The fifth Annihilation Technique, associated with the Wood attribute.
He knew about its elem

ental alignment, but beyond that, there wasn't a lead
to follow.
Yet, on their end,
Expectations were that Seong Jihan, who completed the Ice Heaven Sword
Rain quickly, could also swiftly achieve it.
"So, it seems I need to stay in Korea a little longer to accept the Holy
Flame~"
443
⦘
"Oh, Sophia. Is the Korean national team coming too?"
"Yes... initially, I planned to stop everything once Seong Jihan asked."
Flick!
Sophia twisted her body as the Holy Flame, unable to sustain itself long, ex‐
tinguished in her palm.
"Are you okay, Sophia?"
"Ah... indeed it's challenging. I need to get used to managing this fire; I'll
consider the next steps afterward."
Pythia's flame.
Even Seong Jihan had to counter it through Ice Heaven Sword Rain before
it became quenchable.
For Sophia to inherit and wield such power wouldn't be an easy task.
Sophia winked at Yoon Seah.
"It's most important to receive Jeanne D'arc's flame right now, right? For
your mother... and for the elder brother too."
"Hmm, elder brother?"
"Yeah. It's not just for husbands and older sisters; you can call them elder
brother too, right?"
Saying that, she tilted her head with a smile.
"But isn't 'elder brother' something men call each other? Why is a woman
using 'elder brother'?"
"Well, um... Anyway! Since my elder brother acknowledged me as his sis‐

ter-in-law. I need to do my best too!"
444
⦘
Brimming with determination, Sophia clenched her fists.
Yoon Seah, grateful for her efforts to save her mother, thought, 'Seah. You
can call her auntie in advance.'
'Nah,I'm fine!'
She felt goosebumps at the thought of calling her friend "auntie".
"Seong Jihan. I'll borrow one of the rooms in Sword Palace then~"
"Fine with me. The building owner is Seah anyway."
"Ah. That's right~ Sophia. Want to go see the rooms? I'll give you the best
one!"
"Sure, let's go!"
Still, it was nice of her to offer help in saving Seong Jiah.
Thus, Yoon Seah decided to personally show Sophia the best room in the
Sword Palace and they left.
Left alone, Seong Jihan spent a moment quietly observing the house and
thought, 'Since Pythia is so keen, I need to hasten my training on Gil‐
gamesh's authority.'
The fifth Annihilation Technique associated with the Wood attribute.
Wondering how to attempt it, an idea struck him.
'I'll try utilizing the energy of life.'
The World Tree could be considered the epitome of the Wood attribute.
Could there be an intersection with the Wood attribute and the life energy it
held?
'In the absence of clues, it's worth a shot to try anything.'
445
⦘
With that, Seong Jihan began his attempt at the fifth Annihilation Tech‐
nique, skipping the usual order.
Meanwhile,
In the Abode of the Martial God,
Dongbang Sak, an old man with a white mane, stroked his beard while
holding his smartphone.
'Pythia... has she lost the will to fight?'
The Korea vs. Japan match ended at 3:2.
The scores alone showed a close game.
But it was the Japanese coach's luck in card selection that narrowly edged
the game.
In terms of power, Japan was no match for Korea.
Although the supporter Mizuhara Aoi showed a strong fire power in the
first game.
She had been quiet since the second.
'Through the Eye of Divination, she must have seen something in him...'
Then,
Flash!
As Pythia appeared from the vast void, Dongbang Sak took his eyes off the
smartphone and looked at her.
"Pythia... why did you spare him?"
446
⦘
"I saw something amazing in him."
"You were supposed to teach him a lesson."
"I'll leave that to you."
With that, Pythia spread out one finger.
"Dongbang Sak,... can you defeat Seong Jihan in one minute?"
"One minute?"
"Yes. On a full power basis."
Dongbang Sak twisted his beard, lost in thought.
"Full power... has the fighting spirit of the Eye of Divination disappeared?"
"Why?"
"You know well, if I use full power, it will end in a single strike."
Dongbang Sak said nonchalantly.
As certain and routine as the sunrise from the east.
"That wouldn't be a lesson, would it? I wouldn't have fun either."
"Still! I made a bet with him. If he lasts a minute, I'll have to give a free
prophecy."
"You crafted quite the trick... what did you get in return?"
"If I win, he'll tell me all his martial art names."
"Hmm..."
The name of the martial art.
Behind Dongbang Sak, the Taiji symbol appeared.
447
⦘
Initially rotating clockwise, the black and white pattern of the Taiji, "If you
tell me too, I'll use my full power."
[TL/N: Taiji means Yin and Yang powers, but its too long so i put taiji]
"Good."
then began to rotate counter-clockwise.
"I guess I'll have to bring out the Taiji Demon Sword after a long time."
***
***
448
⦘
Chapter 237
***
***
A week later.
Ding-dong. Ding-dong.
Sitting on the living room sofa sipping coffee, Yoon Sejin heard the ringing
from the wall pad and looked at Yoon Seah.
"Is it Sophia?"
"Yeah, Dad. I'll go check."
Yoon Seah, now accustomed to these visits, walked to the entrance and
opened the door.
There stood Sophia, dolled up with her makeup on point.
"Hi, Seah~"
"Yeah, I've been seeing you a lot lately, huh."
A week after moving into Sword Palace, Sophia had been visiting the pent‐
house every day around 3 PM.
"Is Jihan perhaps here?"
"Uncle's not here."
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⦘
"Not here? Again?"
"Yeah. He's training."
"Really? Should I come before 3 PM? But Jeanne D'arc's transfer of the
Holy Flame doesn't end until then..."
Sophia had been visiting the penthouse every day for a week, mainly to see
Seong Jihan, but she had been missing him every time.
And that was because...
"No. It wouldn't matter what time you come... Uncle just doesn't come out
of the training room."
"Not... for a whole week? What about food?"
"Food? He's not eating."
"Eeeek?! What if he faints?"
"For uncle, we don't need to worry. Plus..."
Yoon Seah shook her head, looking towards the direction of the training
room.
"It seems like he's not there either. No sign of him at all."
"Where did he go?"
"I heard he got access to a training space where time flows differently.
When I asked to go with him, he said only he can enter."
"Wow... such a place exists?"
"Yeah. So I'll let you know when he comes back."
"Tch. I was expecting to see Jihan a lot... Okay!"
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⦘
Sophia left after another day of futility.
When Yoon Seah returned to the living room, Yoon Sejin, who had been
drinking coffee, remarked.
"That girl really never gives up, huh."
"You're not the one to talk, Dad."
"It reminds me of when I followed your mother around."
"But wasn't Mom underage then?"
"Cough... maybe I need to go level up a bit."
Startled by the mention of underage, Yoon Sejin rose from the sofa.
Yoon Seah smiled mischievously, then looked back at the training room.
'But really, when is uncle coming out?'
Since Seong Jihan acquired the training hall of the void, he had become a
recluse in his training room.
Lately, Seong Jihan's viewers were even flocking to Yoon Seah's BattleTube
channel asking when he'll stream again.
'Though it helped increase my subscribers... now they fight amongst them‐

selves.'
Since Seong Jihan had overwhelmingly more fans, each time Yoon Seah
streamed games, the chat would be flooded with questions about "When
will Mr. Seong Jihan come?"
Those against searching for Seong Jihan on her channel were clashing
fiercely with those just looking for updates.
Yoon Seah eventually gave up moderating the chaotic chatroom.
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⦘
"Today's game stream... I'll probab ly have to deal with uncle's fans again...
Maybe I should turn off the chat."
Yoon Seah mused this with a wry smile when,
"Someone is looking for me? Who?"
Behind her, without any prior indication, Seong Jihan appeared.
"Ah, uncle! You're finally out?"
"Yes. How long has it been?"
"A week. Did your training go well?"
Seong Jihan shook his head at Yoon Seah's question.
"Not really."
The fifth Annihilation technique, Descend of the Heavenly Tree.
Armed only with the clue that it's a martial art of the Wood attribute related
to Gilgamesh, Seong Jihan gave it a shot in the void training hall. Despite
spending a significant amount of time, he made no progress.
'There seems to be some connection between Heavenly Tree and the Martial
Arts of the Wood Attribute...'
Heavenly Tree, Initially, Seong Jihan thought it functioned as some kind of

buff.
Usually, descent implies gods bestowing their strength upon the user for a
certain period, enhancing them.
'But the last martial art of Annihilation technique to be a buff type? That
doesn't seem right...'
While not backed by hard evidence, Seong Jihan's instincts told him that the
Descend of Heavenly Tree was not merely that type of power.
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⦘
Having explored other directions but always failing, he stepped out of the
void training hall for a breather.
"What's this chat about from earlier?"
"Oh. Nothing much. Just that your fans have been coming to my channel
looking for you."
"Really? Well, I've been doing fewer streams lately."
Ever since becoming the hidden boss, Seong Jihan had stopped regular
gaming.
Because not only was the hidden boss garnering a lot of experience, but if
he joined the race to level up, He would quickly become world number one.
He would then be the focus of concentrated bans during the Space League,
so he was regulating his pace.
"Do they not somewhat know the situation?"
"But they are curious about what you're doing."
"I've said I've been training."
"And I've said it over a hundred times too."
"Sorry if it caused any trouble."
"No, it's fine. Thanks to that, many of the viewers who came ended up sub‐
scribing to my channel..."
Thriving from her recent victories in BattleTube, Yoon Seah was gaining
subscribers amongst Seong Jihan's fans, enjoying the spillover benef its.
Yet, she seemed somewhat hassled by the chat.
Noticing her dim expression, Seong Jihan patted her on the head.
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⦘
"You won't be bothered by the chat today."
"Huh? Why?"
"Because I'm going to play today."
"Oh... but I thought you couldn't level up? If you become number one in the
Space League, that wouldn't be good, right?"
"I was going to do that, but this special map's rewards are quite unique."
"Oh, what's it?"
"I'll show you in the game."
Seong Jihan said with a grin and entered BattleNet.
***
"Hello, everyone."
Upon accessing BattleNet, Seong Jihan immediately turned on BattleTube.
-What? Seriously, it's Seong Jihan?
-Oh... the notification popped out of nowhere, and it's actually him?!
-Ah, finally you logged in to BattleTube... Did you finish your training?
Immediately as Seong Jihan launched the game, the chatroom brimmed

with welcoming messages.
Amid the flurry of fleeting comments, Seong Jihan began to speak.
"Training is an ongoing process, but Space 4 has assigned me to another

special map."
-Another special map?
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⦘
-It's special every time
-Doesn't surprise me anymore that it's Seong Jihan lol -So does that mean
another hidden boss appearance?
Viewers were no longer impressed by the assignment to a special map.
Instead, it was almost expected, to the point where it'd seem strange to see
him in an ordinary game.
Meanwhile...
[A.DaVVies has donated 100000 GP.]
[Uh, Mr. Seong Jihan, we are really sorry, but you know the Space League
isn't far away.. could you somehow... perhaps stay at the 2nd place this
time......?]
-The human coach donated lol
-Donating while asking to keep a check on leveling up lol -He did enjoy the
recent 1st-place fake stunt.
-Really, if only Seong Jihan could stay forever below 2nd for the Space
League...
-Isn't Seong Jihan now ranked 7th because of the hidden boss?
-Even without playing the main game, he's at that level? He must have
earned a lot of experience points.
Davis, who had greatly deceived Orcs, thinking Seong Jihan would natu‐
rally be first, appealed to him to somehow use similar tactics in the next
game, even sponsoring him.
"I have no plans to become world number one right now. I'm trying to hold
back on leveling up as much as I can. It's just that this special map has quite
a unique reward. I have to participate."
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⦘
People showed interest in Seong Jihan's response.
-If Seong Jihan says the reward is good...
-Was it as good as when the hidden boss popped up last time?
-What exactly are the rewards?
"Just that..."
As Seong Jihan was about to reply,
[Oh. Welcome back, our esteemed customer. Long time no see.]
Flash!
A giant robot appeared beside him and started speaking.
"Artemus?"
There stood Artemus, the greatest blacksmith in the universe, in its com‐
bined form.
[Yes.]
His body glowed, then split into hundreds of dwarves who lined up neatly
on the ground.
[Are you also participating because of your membership, customer?]
"Yeah."
[So am I. Can't miss out on a 6-month extension.]
The basic reward of the special map was a Space League Premier Member‐
ship extension voucher.
An item inherently equipped with a function of 100 percent boost in experi‐

ence and GP gain.
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⦘
In fact, it was often chosen not only for that but for a 30 percent chance of
evading the opponent's ban list and for particular functions like 'Spotlight'
or 'Hideout.'
[Are you planning to extend the hideout this time too?]
"That's the plan."
[If someone as talented as you used the Spotlight, you would have received
universal attention. With GP sponsorship flooding in, and many constella‐
tions calling for your love, you'd be overwhelmed.]
"Are you planning to use the Spotlight?"
[Of course. I need to gather GP to modify my race.]
-Spotlight? Hideout?
-What are they talking about?
Seong Jihan explained briefly to the viewers who were not familiar with the
Space League membership card.
-Oh, so that's why they couldn't see Seong Jihan's face.
-I thought the aliens were talking nonsense lol -And it seems he wasn't
banned due to that too.
-It seems worth joining .
Although viewers took the explanation about the membership card quite ca‐
sually.
[A.DaVVies has donated 100000 GP.]
[Sir, Mr. Seong Jihan, does the membership card reduce the chance of being
banned?! But it seems like it hasn't been applied even once during the na‐
tional games...]
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⦘
Coach Davis from humanity's representative team excitedly made another

donation with his query.
Seong Jihan, sharing the same doubts about the 30 percent ban evasion,
asked Artemus who was standing beside him.
"But Artemus, this 30 percent ban evasion thing... is it effective? I don't re‐
call it ever working for me."
[Really? I've made quite a profit off it. When was it you faced trouble?]
"In national competitions. I'm always under concentrated bans."
[...National competitions? Does your planet, which your race rules, have
several countries?]
"Yeah."
[Huh. Of course, that doesn't work then. Is that a real game, competing
against your own race? That's just part of training. But... What did you even
do? You should declare immediate world unification and become a dicta‐
tor.]
Hundreds of dwarves, sounding incredulous, simultaneously shrugged and

stared at Seong Jihan.
"A dictator, what nonsense are you on about?"
[You're the one talking nonsense. To join Space 4 as a lowest-tier race,

you've got to have celestial genes. You must not stop there; it's your duty to
evolve your race. Unify the world and spread your superior genes to all pro‐
lific women!]
-The guy's lost it...
-What's this world unification joke? lol
-But seriously, if Seong Jihan tried to unify the world, would anyone be
able to stop him? lol -Can't they just bomb him?
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⦘
-Seong Jihan could probab ly dodge a nuke...
-His spatial control ability is brokenly overpowered, isn't it?
As the chat began to seriously debate whether world unification by Seong

Jihan was feasible, Seong Jihan immediately waved his hands.
"Don't worry. I have no thoughts of world unification."
[Tsk. One should dedicate themselves to one's race... What a waste of abil‐
ity.]
Why bother with such tedious affairs?
As Seong Jihan flatly denied it, Artemus kept nagging aside, [Player has
been assigned to special invade map, 'Race Annihilation Battle.']
The system message appeared and the chit chat stopped as focus shifted to
it.
[The designated race is the 'Blue Blood Demons' demoted from the Silver
League.]
[Divided between 'Void' and 'Solar' factions, the process of clearing the de‐
motion planet begins.]
[Will you participate in the 'Race Annihilation Battle'?]
Race Annihilation Battle.
Seong Jihan, having only thought of it as a special invade map before par‐
ticipating in the game, furrowed his brow at the revealed name of the map.
***
459
⦘
***
460
⦘
Chapter 238
***
***
'The procedure to clear a demoted planet... A race annihilation battle, no

less.'
A race annihilation was something Seong Jihan encountered before his re‐
gression.
At that time, his physical body was swallowed by the rising darkness, and
all of humanity disappeared. Seong Jihan alone survived, able to return by
the vote of certain beings.
With a vote of 3 to 1, he narrowly received a chance for a retry.
'But now it's saying players have to enforce it?'
Humanity was undoubtedly consumed by darkness. The 'Blue Blood

Demons,' the target of this annihilation event, were facing invasion by the
Void and Solar factions for some reason.
[Hmm. A race annihilation battle, huh. It's rare for the fate of a demoted
race to be put in the hands of a player. It's unusual.]
Artemus too seemed to have noticed the system message. Hundreds of

dwarves, with their arms crossed, concurrently tilted their heads in unison.
-A race annihilation battle?
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⦘
-So if you're demoted, you get annihilated...?
-Wow; Isn't the penalty crazy?
-But... the annihilation... is done by the players?
Viewers of Seong Jihan's channel were shocked upon hearing his and Arte‐
mus's conversation. There had been various rumors about what happens
upon demotion in BattleNet's league, but this mission provided a definitive
answer today.
"But the Blue Blood Demons look like they're in the Silver League, right?...
Shouldn't they go to Bronze if they're demoted? Why are they getting anni‐
hilated instead?"
"Bronze is a league only for beginners. Once you've reached Silver, you
cannot fall back to the beginners' league."
"Hmm... those elves didn't look like beginners at all."
"Well, that's because they have powerful backers."
As Seong Jihan conversed with the dwarves, they collectively pointed up‐
wards with a finger.
"I'll have to choose the Solar faction then. What about you?"
"You plan to participate in the annihilation battle?"
"Of course. It's a special mission."
With that, the dwarves all revealed their intentions, laughing.
"Plus, if there are any good spoils, I must gather them. It's the end of a race
that reached Silver League. Surely there will be something of value."
Artemus seemed to have no qualms about exterminating other races.
-Those dwarves are ruthless;
462
⦘
-Even if they're from a different race, isn't participating in an annihilation

battle a bit much?
-This is like seriously not just a game anymore;
-Hey, why are those guys talking like moral textbooks? It's not a game any‐
more, so like Artemus, you should gain loot and get stronger.
-That's right. Where's the space to worry about another planet's well-being
when Earth could end up in the same state?
While there was apprehension among viewers towards Artemus's enjoyment

of the annihilation, the overriding sentiment was a harsh realism.
And Seong Jihan also settled his heart, looking at Artemus's attitude.
'After all, that's what BattleNet has always been about.'
A game where competing with other races for ranking and the lower ranks
face destruction.
Why worry about the demise of races from other planets when even your
own kind fight against each other? Artemus's approach, looking to benef it
his own kind, is probab ly the most sensible attitude.
"I..."
As Seong Jihan pondered which side to choose,
[If you choose the Void faction, an epic quest will appear.]
Another system message popped up.
An epic quest that isn't offered to the Solar faction.
With that, the choice was obvious.
"I'll go with the Void."
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⦘
"Got it. You'll probab ly earn a lot of GP in the Void."
Upon Seong Jihan's decision, the dwarves waved as light shone from the
sky and whisked them upwards.
Glancing at the ascended Artemus, Seong Jihan chose the Void faction, and
then...
The land started to drench in purple shade, and darkness surrounded him
swiftly.
In this shrouded world, a system message rose.
[By selecting the Void faction, an epic quest appears.]
[Epic Quest]
-Find the origin of the Blue Blood Demons and bring an end to them.
Reward -- Increase the capacity limit of Void stats by +30
-- Acquire the title 'Void Executor'
Seong Jihan's eyes gleamed as he saw the reward for the epic quest.
'This is exactly the reward I need.'
Compared even with the ability of the Wandering Martial God, Martial
Soul, the performance of the Void stats was not far behind.
However, this ability had a fatal penalty: the closer the stats get to 100, the
shorter the lifespan becomes.
Relief from this penalty comes with an increased capacity limit of the Void
stats.
'With the 'Summon the throne', I've only managed to get a +5 limit each
month... +30 is basically buying half a year's time.'
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⦘
The EX-grade skill obtained from the Brahma, Summon the throne.
This skill could give the power to surpass the limits of one's race and also
raise the capacity limit of Void stats.
The reward from the epic quest was akin to front-loading six months' worth
of effects, so it was imperative to Seong Jihan.
'And I can't ignore Pythia's prophecy either.'
He remembered Pythia's prediction concerning the Witch of Void.
[You'll fight a terrifying being, attempt to save her, but due to the recoil of
overusing the power of void, you'll almost get pulled in. The Witch of Void,
finally free, sacrifices herself for you.]
While prophecy did not affect Seong Jihan himself, it did work on people
around him as told, suggesting the last moments of Seong Jiah.
The prophecy said Seong Jihan nearly got dragged into the void.
Increasing the capacity limit of the Void stats was imperative not just to pre‐
vent such an event but as a necessary move.
'The problem now is finding the source of the Blue Blood Demons...'
There had never been an easy epic quest before, but none as daunting as this
one.
How could he locate the source of the Blue Blood Demons?
Perhaps by leveraging the fourth Annihilation Technique, Ice Heaven

Sword Rain he had recently gained...
'But to recklessly use the Annihilation Technique, the range is far too vast.'
While Seong Jihan pondered possible approaches,
"Whoa! Look who it is if not the leader himself!"
465
⦘
Ssssh!
Amidst the purple-hued world, a black skull revealed itself, its face protrud‐
ing from the darkness.
"Already participating in a race annihilation battle... You really are extraor‐

dinary, Leader."
Clack! Clack!
The black skull clicked its teeth, making a fuss.
Seong Jihan frowned at the skull circling around him.
The Constellation of the Dead Star, Karlein.
He didn't expect the being, who was also his supporting constellation, to
participate here.
"You're also participating... Is this your avatar?"
"No avatar I'd say! This time, as a constellation, I've been dispatched as one
of the invasion commanders for the Void faction."
"Really? Then you would have some information on the Blue Blood
Demons?"
At Seong Jihan's words, the black skull nodded.
"Of course, I do!"
Ziiiiing!
Karlein's eyes emitted a purple glow, projecting a vast screen.
It showed creatures with blue skin, four arms, and two heads.
466
⦘
"The Blue Blood Demons... They're not very powerful. At best a mid-to-
low tier? No wonder they were demoted from Silver."
"Is that enough to get demoted?"
"There are some who hang in there, but most are demoted. You need to be
at least mid-tier to hold onto Silver League. Unless there's an irregular
player like you."
-Humanity is the lowest grade; how will we survive? lol -But why is that
skull being so chummy with Seong Jihan?
-Why did it call him 'Leader'?
-There were times when his BattleTube stream suddenly went off... Did
they meet during that?
Viewers unfamiliar with Karlein wondered why the skull was acting buddy-
buddy with Seong Jihan.
But they were more focused on the words it spoke.
After being assigned to the special invasion map, race annihilation battle,
sophisticated information about the fate of BattleNet's worlds flowed forth.
"So, when demoted, other players launch an invasion to annihilate the

race?"
"Nah~ Originally, they just summon the Apostles of the End and eventually
incinerate them in the Void. Oh, by the way, leader... Is BattleTube on?"
"Yeah."
Clank! Clank!
Then, the black skull clicked its teeth and gave a chilling smile.
"Ladies and gentlemen of humanity~ If you can't maintain your ranking, I'll
exec ute you on the spot~ Ah! But if our dear leader joins my rank, maybe
467
⦘
I'll make an exception?"
"Stop the nonsense."
"Woof woof!"
"......"
Seeing Karlein transform from a human skull to a dog's head and start bark‐
ing, Seong Jihan was momentarily speechless.
-Wow...
-It's really insane, isn't it? Haha!
-Why is it madness everywhere today?
-Fr, one demands global unification and suggests spreading seeds, and the
other's asking to become a leader of something haha -And we're supposed
to be annihilated by such beings if we didn't maintain our ranking...
The viewers, who responded energetically to the dog-headed being, saw it

then.
Ssssh!
It shifted back to its original skull form and spoke as if nothing odd had oc‐
curred.
"Anyway, back to the main topic! There's a specific reason why players par‐
ticipate in this annihilation battle."
"What is it?"
"The Blue Blood Demons have a special ability to possess others."
Flash! Flash!
A shimmer of red light flashed in the eye sockets of the skull.
468
⦘
"Like so, the Blue Blood Demons flash their blue eyes at times. If you see
that, there's a chance of possession. But it's completely random. It might not
work even on the lowest-tier species, while even Dragonkin can fall victim
to it."
"Possession..."
"The higher-ups in BattleNet want more data on this possession ability.

That's why players were allowed to participate in this annihilation."
"So players are meant to get possessed?"
"Right! There's no need for players to be involved in wiping out a mid-to-

low-tier race."
Seong Jihan nodded.
Things seemed a little different from the annihilation he'd known in his pre‐
vious life, so there was some hidden reasoning behind it.
"I'm a bit anxious about the possibility of being possessed too... But you.
Will you still participate?"
"Of course."
"Alright. Then, as the commander, I'll assign you an easy route! There's a
civilian residential area among the attack routes. Those folks aren't players
and haven't awakened their possession abilities, so you can easily sweep
through there!"
Karlein, exercising his commander privileges, offered Seong Jihan an easy

route, but Seong Jihan immediately declined.
"No. Give me the place with the strongest resistance."
"Why? Because they're civilians?"
Sigh!
469
⦘
Karlein's laughter turned bitter at Seong Jihan's refusal.
"Head, if that's the case, it's disappointing... To survive in BattleNet, one

must become utterly ruthless. If you harbor such tender-hearted sentiments,
you'll be used by someone eventually."
"Are you not the one who wants to exploit me the most?"
"Hehe. Yeah. I'm just telling you because I don't want someone else to take
you away."
At Karlein's words, Seong Jihan let out a chuckle.
"If I was going to be swayed by that, I wouldn't have participated in the race
annihilation battle to begin with."
"Then why?"
"To find the origin of the Blue Blood Demons."
"The origin..."
Clink! Clink!
As the word 'origin' hung in the air, Karlein's eyes blazed with intensity.
"The origin of the Blue Blood Demons... What an interesting thing to say.
The origin... and the Blue Blood Demons' unique possession might be re‐
lated."
"So, will you send me to the place with the strongest resistance?"
"... Well, Okay."
Zing!
Purple light erupted from the skull's eyes.
Eventually, a massive portal was formed.
470
⦘
"If you think you're going to get possessed, call me anytime. I'll drop every‐
thing and rush over!"
"That won't happen."
Immediately dismissing Karlein's offer, Seong Jihan stepped into the portal.
And then,
"Intruder...!"
"Capture him!"
As soon as he entered the world beyond the portal, hundreds of blue eyes
stared at him, flashing with light.
***
***
471
⦘
Chapter 239
***
***
Through the portal opened by Karlein, Seong Jihan found himself facing
hundreds of Blue Blood Demons standing on a black hill with resolute de‐
termination.
'So these are the Blue Blood Demons.'
The creatures with two heads and four arms each, covered in blue skin,
seemed like two people fused into one body.
They were only slightly larger than humans, and while their race's combat
rating was evaluated as mid to low-tier, their appearance didn't seem partic‐
ularly strong.
However,
[Intruder...!]
[Capture him!]
Flash!
As intense blue light erupted from the eyes of hundreds of Blue Blood
Demons, Seong Jihan began to feel his body constrained by a strange force.
'Is this the Blue Blood Demons' possession?'
472
⦘
As it turns out, the compatibility between Seong Jihan's body and the pos‐
session was favorable, and he felt his control waning.
-Uh...
-Why is Seong Jihan just standing there?
-What's happening? Is he possessed?
-Should've gone to the civilian area after what that skull said lol Seong Ji‐
han just stood there in front of the enemy, causing viewers to worry.
Yet, 'Possession can be controlled with Martial Soul.'
To Seong Jihan's relief, the Martial Soul, which allowed him full control
over his body, functioned without issue even during possession.
'I could sweep them away immediately but...'
His goal in this game was not to annihilate the enemy blindly but rather to
find the source of the Blue Blood Demons. Deciding to play along and ap‐
pear possessed, he observed the situation.
[Do we have him?]
[Umm...!]
[We're not sure!]
[It seems... like it worked.]
Meanwhile,
The Blue Blood Demons sweating profusely weren't sure if they had suc‐
cessfully possessed Seong Jihan.
While his movements had stopped and the powers of possession seemed to
have worked, his responses were oddly stiff compared to when they pos‐
sessed other races.
473
⦘
[Try controlling that one!]
Following the lead Blue Blood Demon's command, their eyes flashed.
Boom!
Several of their eyes erupted in pain, but...
'This won't work.'
When Seong Jihan temporarily relaxed his control using Martial Soul, his
movements became erratic.
[It worked! Prepare to confront the invader!]
[Alright... Let's make him clash with the other invaders!]
Possessing the enemy and making them fight each other was the basic tactic
of the Blue Blood Demons.
'Guess I'll have to draw my sword again.'
Hearing the translated speech of the Blue Blood Demons via BattleNet,
Seong Jihan planned to end this charade and wipe them out.
[Wait! Hold! Don't proceed.]
Before he could act, the lead demon waved its hand, signaling to stop.
[The gods command us to bring him to the sanctum.]
[Him?]
[Will he not be dangerous...?]
[He's already succumbed to possession once; he's a 'prime candidate.' In the

sanctum, possession will be much stronger, so it's irrelev ant.]
[Understood.]
474
⦘
Flash!
As strong light emitted from the Blue Blood Demons' eyes once more...
Boom! Boom!
Several eyes exploded once again.
Despite Seong Jihan making no effort to resist, they found it arduous to em‐
ploy their powers. Continuous sacrifices were made amidst their struggles.
[Tremendous resistance...!]
[This player is a dangerous being.]
[Shouldn't we just kill him now?]
[No. That's why we must take him to the sanctuary. Control him quickly!]
Heeding the chief's urgency, the Blue Blood Demons resumed using their
powers.
Thump! Thump!
Surrendering himself to their power, Seong Jihan began to move slowly.
After about ten steps...
Boom! Boom!
The sound of exploding eyeballs from behind caused the demon chief to
furrow its brow.
How powerful must this guy be if simply making him walk is so difficult?
[This won't do. Open a portal right before him. Send him to the sanctum at
once!]
[Understood.]
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⦘
At the chief's command...
Whirring!
A blue portal materialized before Seong Jihan.
'The sanctum...'
Seong Jihan thought about the Epic Quest about finding the origin of the
Blue Blood Demons.
He was clueless about where to start, but now it seemed they were inadver‐
tently paving the way for him.
'I'll have to investigate.'
Stepping into the portal beyond, the Blue Blood Demons' sanctum unveiled
itself.
Wriggle! Wriggle!
Within the sanctum of the Blue Blood Demons,
From the perspective of humans, it was grotesque to call it a sacred place.
-Ew...
-What is this?
-Eyeballs everywhere?
-Going to get ommetaphobia from this ㅡㅡ;
Eyeballs plastered the ceilings, walls, and floors.
Crack!
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⦘
As Seong Jihan stepped, the eyeballs on the floor burst under his weight,
but...
Swoosh...
New eyeballs swiftly replaced the burst ones and continued watching him.
[A portal opened... is it an offering?]
A voice echoed from every direction, carrying a strange force that made lis‐
teners feel hazy.
'Not just possession, but they have other tricks too.'
Naturally, to Seong Jihan who possessed Martial Soul, all this had little ef‐
fect.
He quietly watched what tricks they were up to.
Ssssh...
And from between the eyeballs, blue tentacles began to rise.
They wrapped around Seong Jihan's body, and then...
Zzing...!
Began to compress him from all sides.
Caught in possession and wrapped in tentacles, it looked as though Seong

Jihan was thoroughly restrained.
-No,can this end quickly?
-An ending straight out of a tentacle drama...
-Seriously, it's nothing but tentacles now ㅡㅡ;
477
⦘
-He asked to send him to the strongest resistance area earlier, but this result
is disappointing...
-Until now, he seemed to be acting, but was it real?
Initially, viewers debated whether Seong Jihan was just pretending to be

possessed or not.
But as the blue tentacles began to wrap him helplessly, the sentiment shifted
towards it not being an act.
-Shouldn't he call that black skull for help by now?
-But how would he call for help? He's possessed.
-Ah... right.
-Are we finally going to see Seong Jihan not rank first in a game?
-First place? He's at the bottom now. lol
Unable to summon help due to possession, viewers gloomily predicted

Seong Jihan's end.
Then...
Wriggle! Wriggle!
[No, Was it the player exec uting the annihilation? With a race rated lowest...
Yet, to partake in the apocalypse, the gift must be extraordinary.]
Voices reading Seong Jihan's data emerged from the eyeballs.
[Yes. The lower the grade, the better. Let's select you as one of the offer‐
ings...]
Crack!
Eyeballs swarmed from all directions, burying Seong Jihan.
478
⦘
Or so they tried.
"It's time to end this charade."
Before Seong Jihan even voiced his thoughts...
"Wha...?"
Whoooosh!
The tentacles coiling Seong Jihan ignited in unison, a phoenix spear

wrapped in crimson lightning was now held in his hand.
-Oh!
-We always trusted you!
-Obviously, Seong Jihan couldn't possibly be possessed!
-Lol, we were just talking about calling the skull for help and then the quick
turn of opinions.
-You did the same thing earlier, didn't you? Haha!
Viewers shifted from uncertainty to cheering for Seong Jihan, who is, after
all, the invincible.
He gently spun the phoenix spear,
"I considered waiting to see what they'd do..."
Thunk!
His target: the eyeballs sprinkled all around.
"I didn't know you guys would try to stuff the eyes all over my body."
Seong Jihan obliterated every eyeball.
479
⦘
Though he pretended to be possessed, he never intended to endure having

eyeballs enter his body.
Moreover...
'The Sword Rain stirred.'
The fourth Annihilation technique, Ice Heaven Sword Rain with its search
capability.
Especially the Sword Rain, which detected errors in BattleNet here.
Ever since receiving the Epic Quest to find the origin of the Blue Blood
Demons, and upon feeling movement in the Ice Heaven Sword Rain he car‐
ried inside, he ceased the act.
"Was he not possessed?"
Then...
Wriggle! Wriggle!
From the sanctum Seong Jihan just decimated, more eyeballs began to reap‐
pear.
[Indeed, the apostle of apocalypse, not as simple as it seems.]
Pop! Pop! Pop!
The gathered eyeballs collided violently and merged into one vast eyeball.
[But even if the power of possession doesn't work... I will seize control of
you and escape this world.]
Flash!
A command far more intense than any before shone from the Blue Blood
Demon talents.
480
⦘
Seong Jihan felt his body flinch slightly.
Had he not owned the Martial Soul, he would have been completely over‐
powered.
Nonetheless, even the giant eyeball's power was no match for the restrain‐
ing power of Martial Soul.
"You thought it would work?"
Seong Jihan thrust his spear toward the eyeball.
Fundamental Divine Arts, Fusion of Divine thunder and phoenix: Crimson

Thunder cannon Crackling!
A massive crimson thunderbolt pierced through the eyeball.
The crimson lightning didn't stop there, instead swept across the entire
sanctum.
The eyeballs which continuously regenerated until then could not withstand
the force of the Crimson Thunder Cannon and ceased to revive.
[How...With a low-grade race body, how can you show such power?]
"You say I'm mid-to-low-grade but Why are you guys so weak? Can't do
anything but possess, huh?"
[...Close this sanctum.]
Immediately hit by Seong Jihan, the enemy decided to close the sanctum.
Whoosh...
Affected by the Crimson Thunder Cannon and with little remaining eye‐
balls, the energy of the santrum began to weaken.
'Quick judgment.'
481
⦘
Seong Jihan mused with a hint of regret.
If only the enemy clashed a bit more, it would have made it easier to dis‐
cover the origin of the Blue Blood Demons.
As soon as the eyes realized they couldn't overpower him, they gave up and
scattered.
'Clearing this Epic Quest won't be easy.'
If it were just about combating the enemy, it'd be simple. But searching for
clues about the origin without any hints was challenging.
And the reward was too good to pass up on the quest.
'I should track the energy of this sanctum...'
Seong Jihan scanned his surroundings.
Once the omnipresent eyeballs were burnt away, an immense underground

space made of blue soil was revealed.
With paths stretched in all directions, it was unclear which way to go.
'The energy similar to that of this sanctuary is strongest in the north...'
As the sanctum closed, the energy of the Blue Blood Demons dwindled
rapidly.
Only someone of Seong Jihan's caliber could track such faint dispersal.
He could follow it based on his senses, but...
'The Sword Rain is pointing the opposite way.'
Contrary to Seong Jihan's senses,
Ice Heaven Sword Rain detected the weakest energy to the south.
482
⦘
'Let's follow the direction indicated by Sword Rain this time.'
Whoosh!
Seong Jihan drew Eclipse.

Rain The cold aura emanated from the frozen Eclipse, causing the entire
sanctum to freeze. Then, a water sword emerged and flew southward.
"Let's go."
Mounting the Sword Rain,
Whoosh!
The water sword surged through the underground towards the south.
A vast flood of swords filled the underground like an enormous deluge.
[What is that?]
[Stop it!]
[Don't let it reach the sanctum!]
The Blue Blood Demons tried to obstruct the water sword, but...
Ssssh...
They were unable to resist its overflow and got swept away.
Though Ice Heaven Sword Rain was indeed for search purposes, as part of
the Annihilation technique, its martial arts power was formidable.
Nevertheless...
'I can't see how they reached the Silver League. Was it only by the help of
possessing abilities?'
483
⦘
Watching the Blue Blood Demons helplessly defeated by Ice Heaven Sword
Rain, Seong Jihan mused.
Ssssh...
The forcefully reaching water swords began to slow down.
Eventually, after sweeping away Blue Blood Demons...
"What is that...? A tree?"
Eventually, at his final destination, Seong Jihan discovered something unex‐

pected: a massive tree adorned with countless eyes, hanging upside down.
***
***
484
⦘
Chapter 240
***
***
A tree glittering with multicolored lights. From its branches that hung up‐
side down pointing to the ground, fruit resembling eyeballs dangled in
abundance.
These fruits had a similar shape to the blue eyes of the Blue Blood Demons.
Seong Jihan furrowed his brow upon seeing the tree.
'...A tree? Why is there a tree here?'
For Seong Jihan, who now thought of the World Tree Alliance first when‐
ever trees came to mind, this upside-down tree lacked any aura of life-giv‐
ing energy.
'I need to break it first.'
If the Sword Rain pointed out this tree, there must be a reason. Seong Jihan
decided to start by eliminating this ominous tree.
Ssssh!
As he drew the Phoenix Spear and aimed at the tree, "Getting this far...!"
Flash!
All the fruits on the tree burst into light, attempting to bind Seong Jihan
with the Blue Blood Demons' energy again, but...
485
⦘
"You know it won't work, right?"
Seong Jihan didn't hesitate a moment and sent a current of crimson electric‐
ity up the spear.
Crackle!
Maybe because it was a tree, the lightning that streaked forth was more in‐
tense than usual.
The eyeball fruits were reduced to ash, and the branches and trunk, which
once dazzled with color, now gradually lost their hue and began to char un‐
til eventually, the enormous tree vanished.
'That was too easy?'
The object that seemed ominous at first vanished surprisingly effortlessly.

But then...
Ssssh...!
The water sword Seong Jihan rode on did not dissipate. Instead, it pointed
upwards, towards the ceiling.
"Let's go."
Shik!
As soon as Seong Jihan gave the order, the water sword pierced the ceiling,
allowing him to emerge from the underground sanctum back to the surface.
And there...
'What's this...?'
He noticed the same blue tentacles that had previously encased him, now
sprawling in all directions across the land. There were so many tentacles
that it gave off the impression that the world was enveloped in blue.
486
⦘
-Aren't those the same tentacles?
-It was the tree's root system perhaps?
-This game is getting grotesque with all the eyeballs and tentacles ㅡㅡ
-Ugh, more eyeballs in between the tentacles; I'm going to have nightmares
about this.
The long-awaited viewing of Seong Jihan's BattleTube was a bit of a shock

due to the grotesque content, prompting viewers to express their discomfort.
Seong Jihan, however, observed the movements of the tentacles without any
disturbance.
'Most of these tentacles are entangled with the Blue Blood Demons, right?'
At the ends of the tentacles...
Groups of Blue Blood Demons walked from all directions.
[Returning... to the gods...!]
Even as they were enveloped and absorbed by the tentacles, the Blue Blood
Demons kept chanting for their gods resolutely.
And the more Blue Blood Demons were absorbed...
Plunk!
Single eyes began appearing alongside the lengthy tentacles.
-Ugh... Are the demons cannibalizing each other?
-It wasn't a fellow demon as the tree.
-Oh, that's right. Even so, to be sacrificed to what they worship...
-No matter what they say, they must be acting out of desperation.
487
⦘
-We can't let this happen on Earth... ㅡㅡ;
Viewers witnessing the sacrificial offerings in a world facing annihilation

were reminded of the horrific consequences of league demotion.
Meanwhile, Seong Jihan was focused on the phenomen on of the tentacles

themselves.
'The tree's gone, but the tentacles are still actively moving.'
Where is the source maintaining their vitality?
He looked at the Sword Rain that had brought him to the surface, but...
Ssssh...!
The water sword that emerged on the ground was pointing upwards to the
sky.
"Let's see where this leads."
As Seong Jihan commanded, the Sword Rain attempted to extend again,

but...
Snap!
The sword broke off mid-way, unable to reach its intended target.
'This must be the limit of its range.'
The Ice Heaven Sword Rain, utilized underground, had stretched a consid‐
erable distance before making it to the surface, signaling its range limit.
'I'll need to withdraw the sword first.'
Ssssh...!
As Seong Jihan extended his shadow energy into the ground, Ice Heaven
Sword Rain was released underground, and Eclipse began to fly back to‐
488
⦘
wards him.
The sword, being far away, wasn't retrieved instantly.
'Maybe I should check the direction the Sword Rain hinted at.'
He took his spear and ascended towards the sky.
Ssssh...!
The tentacles parted quickly, trying to avoid Seong Jihan, especially from
the Crimson Lightning swirling around the tip of his spear, as if desperately
trying to stay untouched.
-Look how fast those tentacles are lol.
-They're freaking out at the thought of being striked by the Crimson thunder
lol -Well, they get destroyed as soon as touched by the lightning, so it's un‐
derstandable lol -But why is he leaving them alone?
-Right... It looks like he's searching for something, doesn't it?
Seong Jihan ascended through the path cleared by the retreating tentacles
and took in his surroundings.
'It seems I emerged on top of a hill.'
The dwellings of the Blue Blood Demons concentrated around a giant hill,
and Seong Jihan had emerged near the hill's peak.
And below, in the demon's residences...
The devastation was in full swing.
Flash! Flash!
Sunlight poured from above, and players representing the Solar faction
were materializing, annihilating the Blue Blood Demon residences.
489
⦘
"Conquering a demoted star through annihilation, this special map is a free‐

bie!"
"This territory is mine. Don't get in the way!"
"Who cares about territories here? The first to kill gets to keep!"
Giants and dragonkind, among a variety of powerful species evid ent at a

glance, were slaughtering the Blue Blood Demons in mere moments, and
when any player hesitated even for a second...
"That one... must be possessed!"
"Great! Let's kill that one first!"
"Right, we need to take down the traitors first!"
These players pounced on any hesitating players, ruthlessly subduing them.
-Is this called... annihilation?
-Wow... They are celeb rating when they think someone's possessed; -The
Blue Blood Demons can't resist at all...
-These players are brutally strong;
Overwhelmed by the sheer strength of players contrasted with just Seong Ji‐
han and the elves, the human viewers shuddered as they saw the slaughter
unfold in the Blue Blood Demon strongholds.
Maybe it was because the special map only summoned elites, but despite
the Blue Blood Demons putting up a fight, they were thoroughly getting
crushed.
And there was...
'That darkness... is it the same as the void before?'
490
⦘
On the outskirts, an enormous darkness wavered and was erasing the Blue
Blood Demon residences completely.
Players belonging to the Void faction, unlike those from Solar, obscured
themselves fully within this darkness as they conquered their foes.
Perhaps that's why Blue Blood Demons on the outer edge, overwhelmed by
the oncoming darkness, were unable to attempt possession and quickly got
cleared out.
-The city looks huge...
-The destruction was instant.
-The players are ruthless...
-Would we have any chance to resist if this happened on Earth?
-Would nuking dragons work?
-Then we'd be nuked, too;
-We definitely can't drop to lowest league
Imagining such devastation on Earth, viewers could deeply feel the impor‐
tance of maintaining their rank.
As for Seong Jihan...
'At this rate... it might end too soon.'
Watching the annihilation of the Blue Blood Demons, he could sense that
time was running short.
Despite their powers of possession, a one-sided massacre was unfolding.
The end of the game was approaching much faster than he anticipated.
'I can't just watch anymore.'
491
⦘
He considered using Ice Heaven Sword Rain without Eclipse when...
Ssssh...!
[It's too far. Too far.]
Eclipse arrived from the underground just in time for Seong Jihan.
"You're just in time. Let's freeze it all again."
[Master... you're using it too much lately, aren't you?]
"I have something to find. Let's go."

Rain Ssssshhh!
Hardly unfrozen for a moment, Eclipse was enveloped in ice once again.
Perhaps because it was used towards the sky.
The air began to freeze at an even faster rate than when used underground.
Instantly, the sky was covered in a cold mist.
And then...
Pffft...!
"Hmm..."
From the frozen sky, swords of ice began to rain down.
Not towards the tentacles that had given way to Seong Jihan, but towards
the space where the players of the Solar faction had materialized.
'This is getting complicated...'
Seong Jihan furrowed his brow.
492
⦘
Ice Heaven Sword Rain.
The power, gifted with search capabilities,
Primarily served to unearth 'errors' within BattleNet.
And then...
"What's this now?"
The players summoned to enforce annihilation were all formidable beings

from their respective worlds, Possessing enough skill and caliber to be de‐
tected as 'errors' by the Sword Rain.
Boom!
The divided Sword Rain weakened as it separ ated into hundreds of shoots.
The watery swords could not pierce through the players summoned and ex‐
ploded mid-air.
Ssssh...!
The players who had been targeted by the Sword Rain uniformly looked up
to the sky.
"A trick from the remnants of the Blue Blood Demons?"
"We thought they could only perform possessions... seems like there's a
powerful player among them."
"Well, it wouldn't be as fun to fight without a bit of rebellion."
"Let me handle this one first!"
Players who had become bored with the one-sided slaughter were amused
by the display of Seong Jihan's power and seemed excited by the new chal‐
493
⦘
lenge.
Whish! Whish!
A giant dragon was the first to spread its wings and advance. From its
mouth glowed a fierce flame.
'All of them are riddled with errors... I should've controlled Sword Rain
more carefully.'
Before he knew it, Seong Jihan, having tried to use Ice Heaven Sword Rain
at full power to prolong the Epic Quest, was mistaken for the last formida‐
ble Blue Blood Demon.
"Surrender your GP and items!"
The advancing black dragon that flew towards Seong Jihan began to spew
flames from its mouth, appearing rather elated.
Whoosh!
A vast breath of flame engulfed the sky in a moment.
-Even dragons shout for loot drops when playing games lol -Why did this
situation escalate like this...?
-The breath looks insane; it's all fire.
-Is today the day when Seong Jihan doesn't make it to number one?
Fundamental Divine Arts, Annihilation God's Secret -- Myriad Ghost Seal‐

ing Gods.
But that flame, too, was swiftly sucked away by the vortex of the thawed
Eclipse.
"Good, he's not weak! He's going to drop good items!"
494
⦘
Surprised that Seong Jihan was able to deflect their attacks with ease, the
black dragon actually seemed to enjoy the fight even more.
"Get out of the way! I'll take him down first!"
"Oh, but... that one. Isn't he the hidden boss when you look closely?"
"Ah, I didn't recognize him because he looked too small... Is that really
him?"
"It must be! The weapon is the same!"
Players who had come to the sky ready to catch Seong Jihan, once they
identified who he was, beamed with excitement.
"Isn't his race different from the Blue Blood Demons? Has he been pos‐
sessed?"
"What does it matter? He might drop diam

ond-grade items!"
"I'll avenge my defeat in the dungeon!"
Apparently holding a grudge against hidden boss Seong Jihan, players

ganged up on him.
'I don't have time for a scuffle with them.'
Sword Rain was used at maximum power fearing the Epic Quest would
end, and now he found himself in a mess.
However, this wasn't necessarily the worst outcome.
'This gives me a bit more time before the Blue Blood Demons are finished
off.'
As Seong Jihan's identity as the hidden boss was revealed, the players who
had been exec uting the massacre on the ground shifted focus, plunging
headfirst into a raid against Seong Jihan.
495
⦘
Ironically, this bought more time to complete the Epic Quest.
Of course...
[Master. I can't keep this up much longer...]
Assuming he could withstand their combined assault...
'These creatures are strong.'
As always, they were no easy match, and the Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods
was nearing its limit.
'First, I'll have to deal with them.'
If things continue as they were, he'd be surrounded and overwhelmed.
Opting for offence over defense, Seong Jihan began to reel in the vortex.
As its suction weakened...
The flames crept towards Seong Jihan to capture him when...
"No! The hidden boss is mine!"
Boom!
A giant who had been unleashing his fiery breath jumped from the ground
and kicked the airborne black dragon away.
"...?"
[ --------- Announcement --------- ]
We now have a Ko-fi page!
Unlike other groups, we had made the decision to never lock chapters be‐
hind a paywall from the start. Everything on our site will always be 100%
496
⦘
free to read. However, to expand and grow Hel Scans even further, we need
your support!
So we decided to make a Ko-fi page. It will be entirely donation-based. Do‐

nate whatever amount you feel is appropriate, and even if you are unable to
donate, just reading on our site is more than enough!
As always, thank you for your continued support!
Donate here: https://ko-fi.com/helscans/
497
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498

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The Martial God Who Regressed Back To Level 2 Chapter 201-240

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⦗ The Martial God Who Regressed Back To Level 2 Chapter 201-240 — ⦘

The Mar­tial God Who Re­gressed

The Mar­tial God Who Re­gressed Back To Level 2

32. Chap­ter 232

"Un­cle, why are we sud­denly de­stroy­ing the hill?"

"That's what I was talk­ing about ear­lier."

"Yeah. Let's go to­gether, ev­ery­one."

"Even with swords... the ground is torn apart...."

'It shouldn't been dif­fi­cult for the first wave...'

'Is it be­cause of the power of death?'

If you han­dle un­dead then you're a necro­mancer, it was an abil­ity any­one

'It's pretty good, but not to my taste.'

He pre­ferred fight­ing di­rectly rather than han­dling un­dead.

'Let's try ap­ply­ing it to my body first.'

His body felt as light as if he had re­ceived a pow­er­ful bless­ing spell.

'The buff works huh.'

A hint of sur­prise floated in Seong Ji­han's eyes.

Of course, com­pared to the Death Knights be­com­ing two or three times

A 20 per­cent in­crease in strength, he had to some­how take it with him.

[You are a liv­ing be­ing.]

[It is im­pos­si­ble to com­pletely fuse with the power of death.]

Warn­ing mes­sages popped up from the sys­tem.

"Un­cle! Over there! Some­thing came out!"

"The Death Knights dis­ap­peared?!"

And looked to­wards Seong Ji­han's group all at once.

[How dare you des­ec­ rate our rest­ing place...]

[Stop... Let us rest.]

[Or... will you come too?]

Eerie voices erupted from the thou­sands of skulls.

"My body won't... move... Please cast pro­tec­tion magic...!"

As thou­sands of skulls si­mul­ta­ne­ously burst into laugh­ter, cracks be­gan to

=Uh! It sud­denly feels like we met the fi­nal boss!

=Just what kind of hint did he get in that dream?

He reached out his hand and re­leased his strength.

The thou­sands of skulls looked to­ward Seong Ji­han si­mul­ta­ne­ously.

[This is... the power of death?]

[How does a liv­ing be­ing...]

And so the skull col­lec­tive ghost hes­i­tated for a mo­ment.

=As ex­pected of Seong Ji­han, he had an­other card up his sleeve!

[You will be­come one of us too...!]

And con­cen­trated to­wards Seong Ji­han.

'These guys are out of my league.'

"I'll be back in a bit."

And his fig­ure in­stantly dis­ap­peared into the smoke.

[Haha, so you've come to be­come one your­self...!]

[I'll drink his blood first!]

[And I'll have the flesh...]

At first mock­ing Seong Ji­han's charge, the skull col­lec­tive.

Soon had be­wil­dered ex­pres­sions.

[What... he's not get­ting eaten?]

[Why isn't he be­ing as­sim­i­lated?!]

In­stead of Seong Ji­han get­ting swal­lowed, skulls ex­ploded in all di­rec­tions.

At first it was just one or two skulls shat­ter­ing.

"Well, this is noth­ing much."

=Is this the method Seong Ji­han came up with!

He quickly shat­tered the skulls.

Af­ter a con­sid­er­able amount of time,

The smoke com­pletely oc­cu­py­ing the hill no­tice­ably thinned.

And Seong Ji­han popped out from within.

"Now, how about this?"

[Dare... to try to dom­i­nate us...!]

[Don't in­sult us!]

The Martial God Who Regressed

The Martial God Who Regressed Back To Level 2

32. Chapter 232

"Uncle, why are we suddenly destroying the hill?"

"That's what I was talking about earlier."

"Yeah. Let's go together, everyone."

'It shouldn't been difficult for the first wave...'

'Is it because of the power of death?'

If you handle undead then you're a necromancer, it was an ability anyone

He preferred fighting directly rather than handling undead.

'Let's try applying it to my body first.'

His body felt as light as if he had received a powerful blessing spell.

A hint of surprise floated in Seong Jihan's eyes.

Of course, compared to the Death Knights becoming two or three times

A 20 percent increase in strength, he had to somehow take it with him.

[You are a living being.]

[It is impossible to completely fuse with the power of death.]

Warning messages popped up from the system.

"Uncle! Over there! Something came out!"

"The Death Knights disappeared?!"

And looked towards Seong Jihan's group all at once.

[How dare you desec rate our resting place...]

Eerie voices erupted from the thousands of skulls.

"My body won't... move... Please cast protection magic...!"

As thousands of skulls simultaneously burst into laughter, cracks began to

=Uh! It suddenly feels like we met the final boss!

He reached out his hand and released his strength.

The thousands of skulls looked toward Seong Jihan simultaneously.

[How does a living being...]

And so the skull collective ghost hesitated for a moment.

=As expected of Seong Jihan, he had another card up his sleeve!

[You will become one of us too...!]

And concentrated towards Seong Jihan.

And his figure instantly disappeared into the smoke.

[Haha, so you've come to become one yourself...!]

At first mocking Seong Jihan's charge, the skull collective.

Soon had bewildered expressions.

[What... he's not getting eaten?]

[Why isn't he being assimilated?!]

Instead of Seong Jihan getting swallowed, skulls exploded in all directions.

At first it was just one or two skulls shattering.

"Well, this is nothing much."

=Is this the method Seong Jihan came up with!

He quickly shattered the skulls.

After a considerable amount of time,

The smoke completely occupying the hill noticeably thinned.

And Seong Jihan popped out from within.

[Dare... to try to dominate us...!]

[Don't insult us!]

Once again, a crimson aura shone from Seong Jihan's hand.

[We can't... endure this anymore...]

[We pledge loyalty to the Reaper.]

[Please give us... your command.]

Their initial defiant spirit completely disappeared.

['The Fallen King's Spirit' has been placed under control.]

[The power of death has been greatly enhanced.]

And thus, the power of deathbecame even stronger.

A Fallen King, with only skulls left of the enemy.

It reminded him of the skull-blathering Constellation Of The Dead Star for

Deciding to look into this later, he ordered, "Guide us to your ossuary."

He immediately moved on to tackle the map's special point.

And what was revealed there was a giant triangular structure.

At regular intervals, it emitted dense aura around it.

'An ossuary that spawns undead...'

On Giant Graveyard maps, an ossuary to spawn the undead monsters to be

And once the Death Knights were created to a certain degree.

'Our portal is the west one.'

An ossuary creating monsters and sending them out.

'The elves occupied the ossuary and turned that head.'

We'd prefer it if it sent monsters to the elves as much as possible.'

In this competition, the most significant opponent to restrain was undoubt‐

Seong Jihan, who immediately dominated the summoned undead legion,

Fortunately, right there, he found the elves.

Join our Discord for release updates!

Beyond the northern portal.

And in the middle, the inverted pyramid.

"What, what is this? Why from the portal..."

Seong Jihan charged at the elf without hesitation or excuses.

The distance between them narrowed in an instant.

While Seong Jihan was thinking that.