Chapter 229

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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 enemy's choice, they also voiced confidence because of the key human players, 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?

-Didn't Coach Davis request to temporarily hold the ranks in anticipation of this game?

-When executing 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.

"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-effect 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 information 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.

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.

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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!"

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 circles 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.

"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 doubled in size from before.

"Hidden boss... I'll crush you!"

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.

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 Immortals 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!

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.

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?"

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 heavens - 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 triumphant 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."

"What?"

"Pythia. I will honor our agreement."

As he finished speaking, an intense cold burst from Seong Jihan's body.

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