Chapter 53
Chapter 53
The Top 100 Promotion Matches.
It was called the War of the Stars, but in reality, it held no significant meaning for Seong Jihan.
This promotion match was merely a means to complete the Epic Quest related to the Shadow Queen.
He didn't even think it would be difficult.
He believed that once he reached level 25 and became a Martial Force of 30, he could easily clear it by receiving sponsorship from the 'Wandering Martial God' just like before.
But the situation has changed.
The Nameless Divine Arts had been imperfectly passed down, and there he currently had no Gift.
He couldn't even get the title he should have received, the "Successor of the God."
The only remaining titles were 'Dominator of the Bronze League' and 'Tutorial conqueror' with the latter only having an All Stats +1 effect in the promotion match, and the former not having a particularly powerful effect.
[Dominator of the Bronze League]
[A title awarded to players who completely dominate the Bronze League.]
[All stats in Bronze and Silver Leagues increase by +3, and experience gain is increased by 30%.]
Even though he had expanded the title slots with great effort, the gained effect was merely All Stats +3.
It wasn't insignificant, but for Seong Jihan, who had anticipated the title "Successor of Martial God" in advance, it was a far cry from the stat boost he needed.
"That's why I have to go all out in this promotion match."
The sound of a horn announcing the battle in the colosseum echoed.
After making up his mind, Seong Jihan took out an item he had stored in one corner of his inventory.
[Crystal Fragment - B Rank]
[Grants Divine Blessing to the player once.]
[This item can be used in the Bronze and Silver Leagues.]
Divine Blessing.
It was the highest-level buff that increases all stats by more than 50%.
Seong Jihan had received this item as a special reward in the Defense Map, and it could be used up to the Silver rank.
However, he had decided to use it this time.
[Do you want to use the 'Crystal Fragment' item?]
"Yes."
[For this match only, the player will be granted 'Divine Blessing.']
[The item 'Crystal Fragment' will be consumed.]
As the Crystal Fragment disappeared, a brilliant, iridescent light shimmered around Seong Jihan's body.
A golden crown appeared above his head.
This was the effect of the highest-level buff, Divine Blessing.
After the visuals disappeared, Seong Jihan stretched his body and checked the changes.
"...As expected."
The buff that increased all stats by 50% or more was indeed remarkable.
"That guy is Seong Jihan."
"He came to the promotion match in a shirt... Is he in his right mind?"
The players summoned around Seong Jihan's position, giving him ominous glances.
His equipment was too casual, and he didn't even have any armor.
"Even if he's strong, he's too careless."
"What kind of confidence does he have as a Middle-level League player?"
When Seong Jihan played Survival in Gangnam Area 1, everyone ran away if they spotted him.
However, the players participating in the Top 100 Promotion Matches were all mid-tier league players, so instead of fleeing, they seemed to take it as an opportunity.
Shuffle! shuffle!
Players cautiously approached Seong Jihan.
They were all strong individuals who had made it into the Top 100, and there was no doubt about their skills.
However...
"These days, there are so many helpful people."
Seong Jihan saw them approaching on their own and couldn't help but smile.
When he played in Gangnam Area 1, he had been annoyed that players always ran away, but now they were coming to him willingly.
'How convenient.'
Seong Jihan summoned the Phoenix's Spear in his hand.
The energy of the three dantian gathered in an instant.
With a quick spin, he rotated the Phoenix's Spear horizontally above his head, as if he was handling it lightly.
However, the aftermath was far from light.
"Uh...."
Slash!
As Seong Jihan spread out the Phoenix's Spear, the bodies of the seven players were sliced in half simultaneously.
Nameless Divine Art, Triad of Martial Mastery: Total Annihilation.
The players who had surrounded him were now lying in pieces on the ground.
Total Annihilation, despite its grandiose name, was just a horizontal slash in the traid.
However, the power of Seong Jihan's Total Annihilation unleashed by his hand matched its original name.
"My... My armor... S-grade armor..."
One warrior who had surrounded Seong Jihan stared in disbelief at his own split chest.
In the distance, the S-grade armor was torn apart like paper by the spear's rotation.
Not only that, but his body was also turning into light.
Dying within the first minute of the game.
"This... can't be..."
With these last words, the Warrior disappeared.
Seong Jihan looked around.
There were no more players nearby.
So, the next hunting ground would be...
Whoosh!
From beyond the stadium, far from where Seong Jihan was located, a massive flame shot up.
It was a powerful fire magic that was hard to imagine a Bronze Rank Mage could unleash.
"Barren, huh."
Indeed, no matter how much of a balcon he was, he still had firepower befitting a player who had ranked 1st in the world in his previous life.
"If I don't subdue him quickly, he might take the highest kill count from me."
It seemed that for mass slaughter, magic was more efficient.
Especially considering that Barren's magic power seemed to be close to Gold-level, if Seong Jihan left him alone, he might lose out on the highest kill count.
"Shall I go?"
Seong Jihan crouched for a moment, and as he lifted his foot...
Nameless Divine Arts Footwork Technique: Flashing Sky Thunder Steps
His body flashed with light and disappeared.
Channel 0's live broadcast mainly focused on Barren's actions, but occasionally, they also showed Seong Jihan.
- Player Seong! Oh... you used Divine Blessing? Was Divine Blessing possible even in Bronze?
- It's possible if you have the money. Choosing to use it in the Bronze League! Seong must be rich!
- But his equipment is... too... He came to the promotion match in a shirt! He could've used the money for Divine Blessing to buy some armor!
- I agree. Even if Barren's flames touched him a little, he might turn into charcoal! Does he want attention that badly?
- Still, that white spear that Player Seong is holding looks impressive. He might have invested the money meant for armor in a weapon.
- Oh! That's not a spear; it's an arrow, the Phoenix's Spear! Player Seong obtained it through a hidden quest in this dungeon!
- Christoph, you know a lot!
- Haha...! It's because I'm a fan of Seong!
Despite calling himself a fan, commentator Christoph had simply gathered information in advance for commentary purposes.
He was by no means a fan of Seong Jihan.
- So, is Seong fighting with arrows? Haha!
- Yes, you could say he practically has no proper weapon!
- This is unbelievable! Korea's treatment of players is too harsh!
While discussing this back and forth, the American commentators laughed at Seong Jihan.
However, when Seong Jihan spun the spear above his head, they laughed even harder.
- Seong! Is he threatening seven opponents?
- It's like a porcupine trying to put up its quills!
But then...
Slash!
As the seven players screamed in horror, they were all split in half at once.
Time seemed to stand still instead of flowing.
- Player Seong... he killed 7 of them in a single strike?
At least the commentator regained his composure quickly. He commented on Seong Jihan's score.
- Christoph! What on earth did Seong do?
- Well... um...
Christoph, who had declared himself a fan, couldn't explain Seong Jihan's technique.
It was because it was beyond his common sense.
'Is this still Bronze? No, even if it were Gold, it couldn't be at this level...'
"I-I can't believe this... Among the seven players, there was a warrior equipped with S-grade armor."
"To cut them down from such a long range in one strike! Could Divine Blessing have such a significant effect?"
"No, that's not it. Player Seong doesn't belong to any guild. He doesn't receive guild buffs, so no matter how significant the effect of Divine Blessing is, he shouldn't be able to display that kind of power!"
"What?! He doesn't belong to a guild. A player of that caliber?"
"Yes!"
The live broadcast returned to Barren, but the commentators kept discussing Seong Jihan.
"He doesn't belong to a guild...! Does that mean Player Seong is preparing to transfer to a foreign country?"
"It's possible!"
"Oh my god... This... I guess he's going to receive a lot of love calls from different countries."
"Yes, today, Seong is showcasing himself properly!"
In the meantime, Seong Jihan obtained another kill.
Already 10 kills!
Barren was also using his signature skill, the "Fire Wave," but he was lagging behind with only 6 kills.
"Barren! He burns down the Orc Corps with Fire Wave, adding 3 kills! Now he has 12 kills!"
"Seong's spear technique... What kind of technique is that? Once he swings it, everyone is split in half! He achieved 15 kills!"
In the Top 100 promotion match, the focus was now solely on Barren and Seong Jihan. Other players had long become supporting roles whose only purpose was to increase the two's kill count.
Either they were torn apart by Seong Jihan's spear, or they were incinerated by Barren's Fire Wave.
The scores showed that while Seong Jihan was leading, Barren was gradually catching up. At this rate, Barren might reclaim the top spot.
However, tension still lingered in the voices of the American commentators.
"Barren is rapidly catching up to Seong in kills..."
"Christoph! The direction Seong is running in, it really looks like..."
"Yes, it seems to be in Barren's direction!"
"Seong... He's running at an unbelievable speed! Like lightning!"
"Barren, you need to prepare for him quickly!"
Seong Jihan, who had been in the southwestern part of the arena, and Barren, in the northeastern part, were still in their original positions.
Barren continued to unleash his Fire Wave without moving, and the reinforced fire magic overlapped multiple times, turning that area into a hellish inferno.
If he continued to use magic like this, the entire arena would be engulfed in flames.
"Ugh...!"
Most players tried their best to escape from that inferno by any means necessary.
Who could resist against waves of flames that shot up more than 10 meters high?
It was a dire situation for players who had reached the Top 100 in the world.
In survival games, the first priority was not getting killed.
"Whoa, this is insane...!"
"Ha... Sh*t... Is this still Bronze?!"
"Kuhuk... Kuhuk... R-Run!"
In the face of that volcanic eruption-like natural disaster, monsters and players alike were frantically fleeing.
But there was one exception.
Seong Jihan, instead, ran toward the origin of the flames.
"As expected."
Seong Jihan grinned while looking at the overwhelming mana pouring down on him.
"He still doesn't know how to handle Force."
His Phoenix's Spear swept horizontally.
Nameless Divine Art, Triad of Martial Mastery: Total Annihilation.
Then, the wave of fire that seemed like it could swallow the world...
Split in half.