Chapter 341
Due to the promotion match broadcast, Seong Jihan's channel was turned on.
There, not only viewers from humanity tuned in but also quite a few from alien races.
Though not as much as during the betting arena period.
Many were interested in analyzing the power shown by this small, lowest-ranked race.
And then,
[You will be automatically promoted to the Grand Master League.]
=Ah, Player Seong Jihan is getting automatically promoted......
=This means the broadcast on channel 0 for the promotion match ends here.
As this message appeared, the commentators broadcasting the promotion match on channel 0 expressed their regret over the phenomenon.
-The Grand Master League is obviously where he belongs.
-What's the point of testing a monster who won by triumphing over alt of Sun King in the arena?
-Don't even mention the Sun King ^^; His summoned alt is being beaten by the lowest-ranked race.
-I sold my weapons because I ran out of GP......
Viewers from other planets, watching Seong Jihan's channel, considered this phenomenon as obvious.
Alien races, who had placed all bets on the Little Sun against Seong Jihan and suffered massive financial losses, felt his power more acutely for having lost their money.
=Oh, looking at Seong Jihan's channel, it appears a special mission is taking place.
=It's a promotion mission from Space-3 to Space-2 area.
=However, since we are to broadcast the league promotion match here on channel 0......
=We must halt the coverage related to Player Seong Jihan.
=This will surely affect today's viewership ratings, won't it?
While the 25th of each month was devoted to broadcasting league promotion matches, gathering the world's attention on channel 0,
This time, the sky-high viewership was expected to decline.
Seong Jihan, becoming a competitor against channel 0, had captured most of the public's interest.
And then,
=Ah, Christopher. What if we just leave Seong Jihan's BattleTube channel running?
=Ha ha......! It was just on for the sake of covering the promotion match. Don't misunderstand. I'll turn it off now! Uh, but...... wait, is that Player Seong Jiah appearing on the channel?!
=Player Seong Jiah? If we are talking about Seong Jiah, she is the saint who was sacrificed during the Abyss incident, right? She's Seong Jihan's sister as far as I know!
=Yes, that's her. She appeared just as she was petrified......! Oh. My. This is.......
=......Now, now. Christopher. I get you're curious but you have to do the commentary!
=Yes, yes. Of course......
Christopher gave a somewhat insincere reply, not having turned off Seong Jihan's channel.
The appearance of Seong Jiah in the special mission captivated people's interest to a great extent.
-Woah...... it's really Seong Jiah
-Wow, is she alive?
-But why does her body look like that? There's a lock;;(
-If Seong Jiah also returns, would that family become the strongest?
-Yeah, they're all top rankers LOL
Despite being in a petrified state, the movement of Seong Jiah elicited a warm welcome from Korean viewers.
As many believed they were saved during the Dungeon Break incident thanks to Seong Jiah's self-sacrifice spell,
Most viewers were sympathetic towards her.
"What's happening?"
Meanwhile, Seong Jihan asked upon seeing his sister.
Ziiing.......
Instead of answering, she formed a large sphere in her hand.
After a few flashes of light, the sphere transformed into what was clearly the shape of Earth.
As Seong Jiah brought it in front of Seong Jihan,
[Would you like to proceed with the special mission, 'Human Extinction' scenario?]
A message hovered above the Earth.
"Human extinction......."
[In countless simulations, humanity has been extinguished. Not once has there been an exception.]
Alongside it, screens appeared above the Earth, quickly flicking through videos.
Humanity losing continuously in the league.
Scenes of cities being invaded by monsters due to an increase in dungeon portals.
There, landmarks of humanity like the Statue of Liberty in New York or the clock tower in London were shown being swallowed by darkness.
-Aye, why is Seong Jiah talking about human extinction as soon as she appears ;;;(
-We're actually doing well now...... Recently, it's even harder to find dungeon portals.
-Well, 99% of that success is thanks to Seong Jihan LOL
-Yo, but the Statue of Liberty and Eiffel Tower are gone
While Seong Jiah played the video capturing people's attention,
She continued to speak.
[The Space-2 Area that player Seong Jihan aims to ascend to is a league where only special beings can enter. A doomed race cannot enter with their bodies. However.]
Ziiing.
Above the globe, a figure emerged.
[In our simulations, an exceptional being like player Seong Jihan was not accounted for. With your involvement, the predetermined future might change.......]
"So, stopping the extinction is the special mission?"
[Correct.]
"But why maintain formal speech with me, sis?"
[I am not player Seong Jihan's sister.]
"Then what are you?"
[I am the Witch of the Void, and the conductor of this mission.]
With that, a slight wrinkle formed in the center of the petrified Seong Jiah's forehead.
The same frown she'd make whenever she hinted at him to stop during their past interactions.
'So, she can frown even in petrified state.'
Seong Jihan chuckled lightly and nodded.
"Sure, sure. Alright, conductor. Please proceed with the mission."
[Please select the difficulty level.]
"What options are there?"
[High and highest are available.]
Is there no normal option?
"What's the difference between them?"
[The difference lies in the starting point. Whether it's doomsday itself or two months before doomsday.]
Doomsday itself or two months prior.
'Lately, people seem to view BattleNet too positively, considering they're getting racial bonuses and all. Maybe it would be better to start two months earlier to show how the world was falling apart.'
Even Yoon Seah thought staying in BattleNet might be better.
People's perception of BattleNet was too friendly.
To make them realize it's a dangerous game that could annihilate humanity at any moment.
Maybe it would be better to diminish the difficulty, showing the world's collapse starting two months before but,
[Choosing highest difficulty and completing it will release 3 chains of the witch.]
Upon seeing a message about an exclusive reward for the highest difficulty, he changed his mind.
"Let's go with the highest difficulty."
Releasing his sister's chains was of the utmost priority over altering humanity's perception.
[Should you fail at the highest difficulty, the special mission will fail, and you cannot be promoted to Space-2 Area. Do you still choose to proceed with the highest level of difficulty?]
"Yes, I need to free my sister."
[......It is not necessary.]
"Stop saying it's not necessary, o dear unrelated conductor, and just quickly proceed with the highest difficulty, please."
Pressed by Seong Jihan's insistence, Seong Jiah let out a small sigh.
[......Understood. Proceeding with the highest difficulty, 'Human Extinction' scenario.]
Flash!
With that as her last word,
A light erupted from the Earth, sucking Seong Jihan into it.
* * *
"Hunting dog! Focus! Pull yourself together!"
Hunting dog.
As Seong Jihan was absorbed into Earth, the moment his vision cleared, he heard a voice that felt familiar.
The only human who consistently referred to him as a hunting dog, or in English, a "Hunting Dog", was,
'Barren, without a doubt.'
Despite Seong Jihan previously ranking 7th in BattleNet, Barren always belittled him for not being an American but a refugee of a ruined country.
He always addressed Seong Jihan as a 'Hunting Dog'.
Turning towards the source of the voice,
"Behemoth must be stopped, what are you looking at?!"
Barren from the past life, raging and pointing ahead, exclaimed.
'Behemoth, ah, so that's why it's doomsday.'
Only then did the full memory of doomsday return.
Facing the gigantic beast, Behemoth, as huge as a mountain, Seong Jihan lost an arm.
And though Barren along with America's First elites managed to defeat the monster,
Thud! Thud!
Indeed, looking ahead,
A creature so vast it was hard to tell its arms from legs,
Was slowly advancing towards the player forces of America's First.
"Charge! Just delay it. Hunting dog!"
Barren's command to charge at Behemoth and just stall for time.
Viewers watching alongside Seong Jihan began to boil at the sight of Barren 's face.
-Isn't that Barren?
-Wow, no way, LOL, who's he calling a hunting dog??
-This is ridiculous lol
- Wait, wait. That's not me! It's a simulation, don't curse at me!!
-There he goes lol, a bit unfair though....
-The simulation acting like this might just reveal his true nature, no?
-No, it's not!!
As the simulation's Barren riled up, current Barren was fervently defending himself in the chat.
Watching Barren in the simulation, viewers detected not only him but also U.S. players around him with an eagle eye.
-Oh, Sophia is there too.
-How many years later is this? She seems more mature compared to now?
-I prefer this look haha
-A lot from America's First. Is this the America's First guild?
-Oh, does that mean Seong Jihan joined America's First?
While the viewers were observing players left on doomsday through Seong Jihan's perspective,
'Hmm, the strength... is it the same as my original body?'
It wasn't that Seong Jihan's power was adjusted to the past life Seong Jihan; rather, his current power was wholly transferred.
With this, even the giant monster would be an easy opponent.
Swoosh.
From Seong Jihan's left arm, shadows rose.
Fundamental Divine Arts,
Triad of Martial Mastery:
Mount Tai Suppression
As his shadow-infused sword, Eclipse, made a vertical slash,
Kaaaaa!!
A scream erupted from Behemoth before the gigantic body split in two.
Then, the massive beast's body burned away and vanished.
"Uh......."
Barren, watching this, rubbed his eyes.
What did I just see?
The Korean hunting dog, Seong Jihan, while indeed a formidable warrior,
Was not supposed to be this powerful......
"Is it done?"
"Ye, yeah......"
While Barren stuttered his words,
Whoooosh!
Where Behemoth had been, a white light soared into the sky.
"That's...... the boss fight reward!"
Barren, eyes shining, showed interest in the reward, but.
"Hey, I beat it, so it's mine."
"What, what?"
Woosh!
After informing Barren, Seong Jihan went to claim the boss fight reward.
'It's mine this time.'
In his past life, even if Barren favored only Americans, Seong Jihan had to comply due to being a refugee.
But now, the situation was different.
It was a mission, after all, so he had to take whatever he could.
"Sto-stop! How dare a refugee..."
Ignoring Barren's ramblings, Seong Jihan checked the reward from Behemoth's body.
[Behemoth's Core]
Grade: SS
-The core of the apocalyptic monster Behemoth.
-Absorbing it increases the player's leftover points by +5.
'Oh, nice.'
An item that boosts leftover points by 5.
For a monster that was easily defeated, the reward was surprisingly good.
Swish.
As Seong Jihan consumed it,
Rumble......
Suddenly, the ground shook, and a message window appeared before Seong Jihan.
[The results of the Space League - Bronze League Demotion Match will now be announced.]
-Demotion match?
-What, are we getting demoted? lol
-It's just a simulation...
-Still unlucky though;(
While viewers reacted to the message before Seong Jihan,
Another message followed.
[Game Category - Defense.]
[USA - Success]
[China - Success]
[Russia - Failure]
[Japan - Failure]
.......
Apart from the USA and China, all failed in the defense category.
-Why isn't our country listed??
-Don't tell me we were destroyed??
-No way, how could Japan survive and we be destroyed??
-Ikr, it makes no sense... our country has top rankers now ㅡㅡ
As Koreans disbelieved the results,
[NO. 4212 'Humanity'. Has failed the demotion match.]
[Along with NO. 4773 'Uruk,' the final demotion deciding match will commence.]
[The battle will start immediately.]
For the demotion deciding match stage, players were summoned in groups of five.
A single match battle, 5:5.
In his past life, Seong Jihan, being 7th in the rankings, couldn't participate.
Flash!
But this time, included among the five,
"Jihan! Phew... It's a relief that Jihan is here too!"
Sophia, cheerful upon seeing Seong Jihan and,
"You, how did you get summoned here? It's supposed to be by ranking. Could the item from before really boost your ranking... Spit it out right now!"
Barren, fuming upon seeing Seong Jihan getting summoned.
Thinking the item boosted his ranking, Barren stood demanding him to hand it over immediately, with an open palm.
-Ah, this crazy dude. Just stop it!! Fxxxing idiot!
And then, current Barren, watching this, cursed out loud in the chat.