Chapter 287

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The guild channel where over 100 million people gathered before the broadcast started.

As Seong Jihan revealed his face:

-Oh, he really returned?

-Where the hell have you been and what have you been doing?

The speed at which the number of viewers increased was exponentially fast.

"Boss, First... Ah! We have now surpassed 150 million viewers. Please greet the viewers."

It was a guild channel broadcast conducted in an interview format, with Lee Hayeon as the interviewer.

"I apologize for not being able to participate in yesterday's match."

At the request to greet, Seong Jihan slightly lowered his head in front of the camera.

As Seong Jihan apologized, the already explosive chat room erupted further with both support and criticism.

-Why are you apologizing, Jihan? It's okay not to participate in the match!

-That was barely an apology! Just bowing your head a little isn't enough!

-No, the problem is the representative team of humanity that lost to the last place?!

-I don't feel any sense of responsibility from the top-ranked player. What if dungeons appear in our area?

-Seong Jihan, take responsibility!

Primarily, Koreans defended Seong Jihan, while foreigners criticized him.

Lee Hayeon glanced at the chat window and asked Seong Jihan.

"Boss... Many people were worried that you didn't return. Did something happen during that time?"

While asking that question, Lee Hayeon was desperately sending eye signals to Seong Jihan at an angle not visible on camera.

It was a gesture asking him to answer well somehow because the reaction was too bad, but...

"Ah. I was late because I was training."

Seong Jihan didn't pay attention to it.

"Training...?"

"Yes."

At that answer, the chat window exploded even more.

-Training? You were late just because of training?

-Even after becoming rank 1, he trains like that, so humanity has been continuously benefiting from Seong Jihan.

-That's right. Most other rankers are busy playing around after becoming celebrities. How many players are there who only train like Seong Jihan?

-Still, you have to keep the schedule! What if you miss a match!

-Yeah. Will you still say that even if a dungeon portal appears in your home?

-No, we're still in 7th place, so it's not that serious of a situation. The exaggeration of foreigners is really...

-Then you don't think about the number of wins Seong Jihan has earned for us so far?

-Seeing that we lost even to the league's last place, it seems we would have been last if Seong Jihan wasn't there.

-Lol for real

As support and criticism for Seong Jihan intertwined, chaos unfolded.

Lee Hayeon glanced at it and asked Seong Jihan again.

"Um, may I ask what kind of training took you so long?"

While sending eye signals again this time.

Not only her, but Yoon Seah, who was watching this behind the camera, was also moving her lips saying 'Please. Please.' to Seong Jihan.

'They're more worried than me.'

Seong Jihan himself didn't mind receiving a little more criticism, but...

Because the people around him were so worried, he decided to tell one reason for being late.

"There was something I had to finish in order to challenge a constellation. I was a bit late because I was completing that."

"Constellation... I knew it. Of course. There's no way Boss would be absent for no reason!"

Lee Hayeon immediately responded to Seong Jihan's answer.

-Yeah, would Seong Jihan be absent for no reason? There must be a reason.

-If it's to challenge a constellation, is it related to the battle during the Russia match?

-No, isn't it because of the Constellation Candidate thing?

-Still, you should have come out for a day to participate in the Space League 🙁

-The Constellation thing is ultimately a personal matter, right? For the greater good, he should have participated.

-How much did Seong Jihan earn for us during the planet colonization... Wow, this is really absurd.

-When he becomes strong, everyone praises him, but now they're talking nonsense because he couldn't come out once due to training...

Seong Jihan's supporters raised their voices at that answer, however still, there were more voices condemning him.

In a situation where the aftermath of the human national team's first defeat had not yet subsided.

The reason Seong Jihan gave was difficult to convince everyone.

"Ah..."

"Hmm, there are more critical opinions."

At this reaction from people, the guild officials couldn't hide their worried looks.

'It's like rescuing someone drowning and then being asked to hand over the luggage.'

Seong Jihan, who knew humanity's performance in his previous life, found this reaction just ridiculous.

He stared intently at the chat window with sunken eyes.

The criticism from foreigners, far more than the support from his own countrymen.

Looking at that, he slowly opened his mouth.

"Many people are telling me to take responsibility. Hmm... How should I take responsibility?"

"That's..."

"Should I stop training? But I have many problems to face, so I must continue training. If I can't give up training... Hmm, should I temporarily give up the Space League?"

"What? B-Boss. That's...!"

As Seong Jihan said with his arms crossed.

-What, he's going to be absent from the Space League? Are you really going to do it?

-Let's do it. What are they going to do? Withdraw from the Daegi guild? There are many countries aiming for the empty spot.

-In the first place... Isn't the problem the human national team that got beaten in last place? Why are you stepping up and putting the responsibility of the defeat on Seong Jihan?

-Go and say something to the players of your own country. Shouldn't you at least win against the last place?

The chatroom erupted like adding fuel to a blazing fire. However, even such reactions were temporary.

[A.DaVVies has sponsored 100,000 GP.]

[Player Seong Jihan!! This defeat is entirely my responsibility as the coach. Please! Do not give up on the Space League!]

[KING.JEFF has sponsored 100,000 GP.]

[The World BattleNet Association fully supports player Seong Jihan. The decision to participate in matches is solely the player's prerogative, and excessive criticism should be avoided.]

Following the coach of the human national team, even the president of the World BattleNet Association stepped up to sponsor the guild channel and send a message.

When criticism was pouring on Seong Jihan, the BattleNet leadership was going to watch for now without intervening, but...

"What...! Giving up on the Space League?"

"No, no matter how much they caught him, they should criticize appropriately... They're crossing the line."

"Seong Jihan. This person truly does what he says."

"We need to calm the situation quickly. What if he really boycotts a few Space League games?"

As soon as he expressed his intention to possibly be absent for a while, they were startled and quickly began to resolve the situation.

Not only President Jeff or Coach Davis.

Sponsorships from BattleNet Association presidents and guild representatives from all over the world began to pour in.

Wow... Look at the list of sponsors; all the top guilds are sending them.

-Only Seong Jihan can collect GP like this even after being absent from a match lol

-No. Seong Jihan... He couldn't come because he was training, so why is he receiving sponsorships? 🙁

-Even the president of your country sponsored saying to stop... Do you want him to shoot again?

As soon as Seong Jihan hinted at skipping the Space League matches, the subsequent sponsorship caused the criticism in the chatroom to rapidly lose steam. Especially when leaders from various countries stepped forward to start a sponsorship relay, the balance in the chat shifted clearly towards support.

-Wow... It's clear who the boss is today

-Yesterday's defeat made us realize humanity's dependence on Seong Jihan.

-For real, we didn't expect to lose to the last place.

-But the leaders are quick at judging the situation lol

Seong Jihan looked around at these reactions and slightly lowered his head once more.

"Since many people I owe, including the coach, are saying that... I will diligently participate in the Space League. I caused concern to everyone with unnecessary words."

Seong Jihan, who brought up giving up Space League matches once and settled the situation.

"Then, I will see you again at the promotion match."

Ended the broadcast with a calm face.

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[Reason for absence from Space League is training? Soaring criticism resolved with one word.]

[Sponsorships pouring in after declaring match absence. Top 100 guilds in the world all support Seong Jihan.]

[Where's the hitch? Seong Jihan's Presence Strengthened through Matches againstmatch with Zojin.]

The short interview with Seong Jihan that took place on the Daegi guild channel only revealed how much humanity relied on Seong Jihan.

Humanity's leadership, who hurriedly supported Seong Jihan and requested reconsideration as soon as he brought up a match boycott.

People watched this in real-time and clearly felt who was in the position of needing the other.

"Uncle's criticism has decreased a lot."

"Why are you even going to foreign sites to check that?"

"It's amazing how people's reactions change so drastically like this."

Korean portal sites were originally full of praise for Seong Jihan anyway.

Yoon Seah had several foreign sites open, even using a translator to examine people's reactions.

"Leave it. If they criticize, let them criticize."

"Uncle... You seem pretty indifferent. You even brought up boycotting matches."

"I just brought it up once. Did you think I would really not participate?"

"The Association responded so swiftly thinking you really wouldn't participate."

Seong Jihan smiled at Yoon Seah's words.

The BattleNet Association and the top 100 guilds.

They must have had time differences with Korea, but their response speed was tremendous.

'Fortunately, they recognize that they are the ones who need me.'

The defeat in the match against the 20th-ranked Zojin.

It seemed to have given a bigger shock to the BattleNet Association and humanity's leadership than the general public, so the world's leaders were more mindful of Seong Jihan's mood than before.

Seong Jihan was a player who would quietly train and gain strength and repay humanity with results as long as they didn't provoke him first anyway.

It seemed they had agreed to support the rank 1 as smoothly as possible.

"Is Uncle's promotion match today?"

"Yeah."

"It's humanity's first."

"Aren't there more people who reached level 300?"

"Yeah, level progression has been quite slow. I don't know if we'll have any level 300 achievers next month."

After the tutorial ended and the level cap expanded, the promotion matches were held. Despite it being the end of May, there was only one player challenging the Diamond level in the Master League: Seong Jihan.

'Even with various growth bonuses added compared to before, it's still not easy.'

After joining the Space League, the BattleNet games were matched with alien races. When playing against them, humanity's win rate fell below 50%. There were so many situations where experience points didn't increase but decreased.

Despite having plenty of time, players, except Seong Jihan, had yet to reach level 300.

"Then I'll be off."

Seong Jihan waved his hand to Yoon Seah and logged into BattleNet.

[The Master League promotion match will proceed.]

[There is only one player who has met the promotion match conditions within the race 'Humanity'.]

[The promotion match will be held in the Space League.]

Flash!

As soon as he logged into the game, Seong Jihan was transferred to the Space League.

Since there were no competitors among human players to take the promotion match together, it was a natural result in a way.

[The game will take place in the survival map, 'Space Arena'.]

As soon as that message appeared, Seong Jihan was summoned somewhere.

Flash!

Light entered his vision, and the surroundings came into view.

'It's similar to the Colosseum I fought in before.'

A stadium similar to the arena map he experienced in Bronze before, but ten times larger in scale.

Inside, various races were preparing for battle while glaring at each other.

'Isn't it a special map this time?'

Perhaps because they'd been playing so many special maps in the promotion matches. Seong Jihan was no longer accustomed to regular promotion matches. This means the rewards might be less impressive than those from special maps.

'Well, you can't always have the special treatment. Let's finish this quickly.'

Putting his disappointment aside, Seong Jihan drew his sword and spear.

In an instant, a powerful force surged.

[Hmm...]

[Who's that?]

[He has incredible power...]

The gazes of the players who were wary of each other all gathered on Seong Jihan at once.

He smiled at them and turned on BattleTube.

"Everyone, let me show you the results of my training."

Whoosh!

A small flame erupted at the tip of his spear.

[What...?]

[This is...]

In an instant, a massive blaze engulfed the arena.

[A Dragon... Breath?!]

With those last words, the opposing players were annihilated.

Maybe because it was a regular promotion match, the game was also one-sided.

'Too easy. Is this the shortest match?'

After annihilating the enemies in one shot, Seong Jihan, who was waiting for the game to end.

[The match ended too quickly, so the next opponent has not been decided.]

[Do you want to face the 'Hidden Existence'?]

His eyes shone upon seeing the message that suddenly appeared.

'Hidden Existence...'

As he pressed yes, an epic quest appeared.

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