Chapter 31
* * *
“Wow, the subscribers have exceeded 20,000!”
“Has it already increased that much?”
Just a while ago, it was only 8,000, but now it is more than double of it.
Every day, the interest in Seong Jihan keeps growing.
Lee Hayeon felt anxious.
“Ugh… Why is it rising so quickly? If it continues like this, the US or China might come with a lot of money to recruit him.”
“The bald guy from the Neo Self-Defense Force has also been trying to get him.”
“Right! I saw the chat, and it was disgusting. But at least Seong Jihan won’t go to them because of the Sword King. I’m worried about the guilds in the US or China. Their spending scale is different.”
“That’s true.”
Lee Hayeon bit her nails anxiously.
It’s a habit that comes out when she’s in a tight spot.
Lim Gayeong shook her head, seeing her act like that.
“Miss, don’t do that.”
“Huh, what are you talking about?”
“Biting your nails. It has never led to a good result for you.”
“Ugh… It’s not always like that.”
While saying that, Lee Hayeon quickly took her hand out of her mouth.
She suddenly stood up from her seat.
“We can’t just sit here. Gayeong!”
“….”
“Let’s go to the parking lot first. We’ll set up a tent there.”
“…Am I going too?”
“Of course! Do you expect me to go alone? Isn’t it scary?”
“You said you were trembling just thinking about BattleNet Academy…”
She remembered Lee Hayeon, who used to complain about the expensive tuition of BattleNet Academy and the terrible gifts they provided, while downing alcohol. She had sworn never to go near BattleNet Academy again just the other day.
‘Seong Jihan is worth it.’.”
‘But why spend the night there when she could just leave early in the morning?’
Lim Gayeong tried to calm the rushing Lee Hayeon.
“Miss! You’ll look bad if you sleep there. You should go fully prepared.”
“What are you talking about? I look fine even without makeup!”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Ugh…!”
The logic was that to persuade Seong Jihan, she had to be in her best condition.
“I get it. But didn’t he say he doesn’t know his phone number?”
“Ugh, that guy. Does he like men?”
“We need to be fully prepared to test that out.”
“…Fine. I’ll cancel the tent idea.”
In the end, Lee Hayeon’s tent plan was successfully thwarted.
[Mission type: Survival.]
Colosseum map.
The game that Seong Jihan had been dominating since long ago.
-It’s over.
– Are we going to see another massacre today?
– Ah, survival is so boring lol
– Seriously, it ends too easily
Viewers who came into Seong Jihan’s broadcast already anticipated the outcome.
Seong Jihan, who had cut the Flesh Golem in half, would surely not even get a scratch from Bronze League players.
The players participating in the survival thought the same too.
“Ah, it’s Seong Jihan…”
“Darn! My luck is the worst!”
“Why is he playing the game at this time?!”
Players grimaced upon seeing Seong Jihan, who was not even in armor but in casual sportswear.
[The game will start soon.]
“Run!”
As soon as the game started, they scattered in all directions.
Being the first to die means being last, so to avoid penalties, they desperately tried to escape.
However,
“I’m sorry it had to be this way.”
Nameless Divine Arts Footwork Technique: Flashing Sky Thunder Steps
With a face showing no remorse, Seong Jihan chased them in the blink of an eye.
“Hee… Heeek…!”
“He was definitely behind just a moment ago!”
A player screamed as if he saw a ghost upon realizing Seong Jihan was right in front of him when he tried to take a step.
Thud!
Seong Jihan effortlessly stole his weapon, increasing his score, and immediately pursued the other fleeing players.
– He’s just annihilating them.
– Seriously, the players can’t even stand against him, they’re shamefully running away! Tsk!
– Even if they tried to fight, they’d be defeated in a second lol
– But if they run, at least one out of ten might survive
Like a wolf among sheep, Seong Jihan displayed a massacre.
The outcome of this game was clear to everyone.
[You have ranked 1st in the survival game.]
Given that today’s game was survival, it was an expected result.
The viewers who were watching the broadcast…
– As expected, 1st place~ No status window reveal today too.
– It’s a survival map, of course.
– Did everyone see them running away as soon as Seong Jihan appeared?
– I would run too lol
After the game ended, as soon as Seong Jihan was able to view the chat, messages began flooding in from Takeda asking him to open his private message box.
– Mr. Seong… You’re so strong! You truly don’t belong here ?. If you open your private messages, I’ll make an astonishing offer to you… ?
– That guy doesn’t say much when Seong Jihan is gaming… He’s really going all out to recruit him.
– After taking the Sword King, now they want to snatch up our promising rookies? Truly relentless.
– If you’re Korean, please don’t go to Japan!!
After briefly watching the flood of messages, Seong Jihan satisfied the viewers with a short response.
“Yes, I’m not going anywhere.”
[You’ve been awarded a 50% increase in Experience and GP gain for ranking 1st.]
[You have achieved 1st place in the game 5 times in a row.]
[Experience and GP gain increased by 200%.]
[Your level has increased by 2.]
[You have acquired 3,000 GP.]
The rewards were incredibly lavish.
By receiving the 1st place reward for the fifth consecutive time, he leveled up from 13 to 15.
However, Seong Jihan was slightly disappointed.
‘I didn’t get any achievement points.’
Perhaps because he had already achieved the 10-kill achievement in the previous survival map, this game only had level-ups and GP gains, but no achievement point gains.
Still, Seong Jihan decided not to be disappointed anymore.
‘Things are different now.’
[Reaching level 15 has unlocked the game map ‘Dungeon’.]
Dungeon.
Unlike Survival and Defense modes, which are available from the first login to BattleNet, the Dungeon was the third game map, unlocked at level 15.
‘This is where the real team play starts.’
Dungeons weren’t content you could clear just by being strong.
With various traps, mazes, and puzzles, players needed party members who worked well together.
Perhaps that’s why there was another feature unlocked at level 15.
[Guild content has been unlocked.]
[You can now engage in party play with guild members.]
From now on, he could form a team with guild members and play the game on any party play map.
‘From now on, a guild is almost essential.’
Between a party formed by guild members and a public party mixed with regular players, it was easy to predict which would perform better.
For instance, if a troll backed by the Sword King Fan Club, like last time, appeared, they might not even complete the mission.
Even so, Seong Jihan had no intention of joining a guild yet.
‘I need to achieve the Guild Master achievement.’
BattleNet achievement points, which could be harvested in various ways outside the game.
Up until now, he had acquired many from BattleTube, but after that, the place to get achievement points was related to guild achievements.
“But I have to reach Silver rank to create a guild, so until then, I can’t join any guild.”
Joining a guild would be beneficial now.
Given Seong Jihan’s skills and potential, astronomical signing bonuses, salaries, and the best equipment would be provided.
But those would come naturally once he possessed the capability.
He had no intention of giving up the Guild Master achievement, aimed firmly at being number one.
‘Anyway, I need to go to the dungeon without a guild for now.’
Seong Jihan searched for August’s Bronze Dungeon.
If August’s Bronze Dungeon mainly had traps and mazes, he could simply overpower it. But if there were patterns requiring party cooperation, he needed a strategy.
[August’s Bronze Dungeon]
– Conqueror’s Mausoleum
‘Conqueror’s Mausoleum? Sounds vaguely familiar.’
He couldn’t remember this dungeon well. Being a world-class player, remembering a Bronze Dungeon from 10 years ago was unlikely.
Seong Jihan skimmed through the strategy guide with a wry smile.
[Conqueror’s Mausoleum is a dungeon where powerful monsters appear, making it relatively difficult.]
[The role of a Warrior leading the front line is crucial.]
[There are few traps and mazes, and hardly any puzzles, but all party members must be alive in front of the Conqueror’s statue on the 7th basement floor.]
Seong Jihan’s expression stiffened.
All four party members had to survive to clear the dungeon.
“With these conditions….”
If interference from the Sword King Fan Club continued like before, the issue wouldn’t be about ranking first, but potentially failing the mission entirely.
After pondering for a moment, Seong Jihan soon broke into a faint smile.
‘There’s a way, but only I can do it.’
In the office of the Japanese Trade Corporation’s Korean branch of the Neo Self-Defense Force, Takeda was on a long call with the higher-ups.
[Takeda, your request is impossible.]
“But, didn’t you see the video I sent?”
[The one where he defeated the Flesh Golem?]
“Yes! Regardless of the buff, that’s not something possible at the Bronze rank. We must make every effort to recruit him!”
[I was surprised too. However, we can’t use ‘that method’.]
The Director’s voice was firm.
[‘That method’ is our last resort. If you want me to accept your request, you need to provide solid evidence.]
“….By evidence, do you mean his status window?”
[Yes, exactly.]
‘Stubborn old man.’
Takeda barely suppressed his urge to curse.
[Personally, I’m quite interested in this player, Seong Jihan.]
“You mean…”
[I will personally fund you. Use that money to somehow find out about his status window. If you can get that information… depending on the situation, we can use the last resort.]
Takeda naturally bowed in gratitude.
‘Such a wise Director!’
‘There’s a reason he’s been in HR for so long.’
“Understood. I will definitely find out his information!”
[Alright, I believe you.]
Click!
After carefully hanging up the phone, Takeda’s eyes gleamed.
‘I failed during the Defense, but… in the Dungeon map, I will make sure to bring you down, Mr. Seong!’
If he could just find out about the status window,
And if they could then use the method referred to as the “last resort”…
Japan would have both the ‘present’ and the ‘future’ in the form of the Sword King and Seong Jihan.
“Hehe… soon…”
Takeda smiled gleefully as if anticipating something.
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