Chapter 209
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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 probability 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?
-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.
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 probably 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 probably made the decisive action knowing his allies would fall victim to Vladimir's "Transfusion"!
=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 separately to you?"
How can you exhibit it without even knowing what an art is?
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.......'
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.
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 during 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 himself.
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.
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...?
"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.
"......Separating God Slaughter?"
"Yeah why not?"
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 various weapon shapes.
But
Just one.
'Spear' could not be materialized.
"......I, Longinus, cannot do it."
Staring at the blood aura which refused to transform into a spear shape despite repeatedly trying.
Longinus muttered in a stunned voice.
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'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 expression, 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.]
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...!
'Could the Master also desire the skill modifications Seong Jihan mentioned...?'
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.
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