Chapter 40
* * *
“… What kind of contract?”
“When I reach Silver League, I plan to create a guild… You just need to be a guild member there for a year.”
“You’re creating a guild?”
Masied’s eyes widened.
While it’s possible to establish a guild once you’ve achieved the qualifications of Silver League, very few in Silver League actually established guilds.
BattleNet has been established for 10 years already. Who would create a guild in Silver League these days?
If it weren’t for Seong Jihan saying it, he would have thought it was some kind of scam.
‘But… he must have a reason.’
‘Considering the remarkable capabilities Seong Jihan has demonstrated so far, he must have a grand plan.’
That was Masied’s speculation.
He never thought Seong Jihan would establish a guild just for Achievement Points.
“… So, just one year will do?”
“Yes. I’ll even pay a monthly salary. Of course, if you want to stay longer, you’re welcome to.”
This was an incredibly generous offer.
Given Masied’s current situation, even if a 5 or 10-year indentured contract was proposed, he would have no choice but to accept.
Yet, Seong Jihan only asked for a year.
“Why… are you being so kind to me?”
When Masied asked with a trembling voice, Seong Jihan confidently replied,
“Because I know you’ll become the best Mage.”
“…”
“I won’t tie down the best player with a multi-year contract.”
From the start, the guild establishment was just to receive the Guild Master Achievement.
Seong Jihan never seriously considered continuing to run it.
‘And it’s better to have Masied owe me one.’
Having the world’s best Mage owe him one was ultimately what Seong Jihan wanted.
“I can’t… understand. How do you see that I’ll become the best Mage with this useless gift…”
“Masied, can you gather 500 million?”
“…No.”
“Right? Just use me then. There’s no way you’ll lose out, right?”
“Well… you probably don’t have money either. I heard you’re commuting using an old car.”
Seong Jihan laughed bitterly.
The power of the media.
It hadn’t been long since he commuted to the academy using that car, but even the busy Masied knew about it.
“Money isn’t a problem.”
Swish!
Seong Jihan switched the screen on his smartphone.
From the BattleNet market to a betting site.
“Do you know there’s a Korea-Japan match today?”
“I do. I even bet my salary on it.”
“…You too?”
“Yes. Sorry to Korea, but I bet on a 3:0 win for Japan. I have to earn at least 10%.”
The odds for a 3:0 win for Japan were 1.1.
[PR/N: The odds being 1.1 means you’ll get 110% of the money you bet. This is why Masied says he’ll earn 10%.]
It was evident that many people were confident in Japan’s victory.
“No need to apologize. But, sorry to say, the world is often unreasonable.”
Seong Jihan grinned and showed his betting record.
Masied was shocked.
“Are you crazy?! Making such a wild bet…!”
“Haha. Does it seem crazy?”
Beep!
Seong Jihan turned on the TV in the private room.
On the screen, BattleNet players preparing for a match were captured by the camera.
“From now on, I’ll show you the sight of money being multiplied.”
* * * * *
The odds for a 3:0 win for Japan were 1.1.
The public’s judgment was entirely reasonable.
The key player of the Korean national team, Sword King, had moved to Japan.
Not just a halving of the team’s strength, but it had been added to the enemy.
The power dynamic shifted from 1:1 to 0.5:1.5.
As long as Sword King played in every match, a crushing defeat was expected.
However,
“That’s… impossible…”
Sometimes, the world was unreasonable.
During the Korea-Japan Match 1st Game
As the vanguard for the Japanese national team, the Sword King, Ito Ryuhei got into a verbal altercation with his Japanese teammates, who he suddenly found himself paired with.
[If you won’t listen to me, I won’t play.]
Then suddenly, he began to strip off his armor and started cutting himself with his twin swords.
In no time, his shirt was torn to shreds, revealing bloody cuts on his muscular upper body.
“Why… why is he doing that?”
“I wonder.”
[Ito!]
[What are you doing?!]
While Japanese players were trying to stop the Sword King in shock,
[You’re in my way.]
The Sword King, speaking fluent Japanese, pushed away his Japanese teammates and charged alone towards the Korean national team.
[Block him!]
[Not sure why, but this is our chance!]
The Korean national team, surprised by the Sword King’s sudden madness, focused their fire on him.
However, even though the Sword King had taken off his armor, he still held twin swords in his hands.
[Too weak.]
His twin swords, gleaming blue, moved fluidly.
[Hmph…!]
He easily neutralized the attacks from the Korean national team’s dealers.
With the SSS-rank Gift of Twin Sword Mastery, his sword movements alone overwhelmed the Korean national team.
With or without armor, he was the world’s best warrior, after all.
‘He’s indeed strong.’
National team members are essentially superhumans who have reached at least the Diamond League.
Their match footage, accessible to the general public, is shown in slow motion.
While Mages and Supports, who aren’t as physically adept, move slowly on camera,
Only the Sword King moved at a breakneck pace.
‘With that speed… even with my martial arts, it won’t be easy.’
In Seong Jihan’s previous life, he had never faced the Sword King.
Sword King, Ito Ryuhei, the best warrior who reigned the starting era of BattleNet.
He had disappeared suddenly when half of the world’s countries vanished in the later era of BattleNet.
Thus, Seong Jihan, referred to as the strongest warrior in the later era, had never crossed swords with the Sword King.
However, Seong Jihan showed no sign of concern.
‘I’m completely different now.’
While acknowledging the Sword King’s strength, Seong Jihan never thought he would lose to him.
[Sword Flight Technique.]
A blue sword landed at the Sword King’s feet.
Serving as a stand, it sped through the sky.
The technique to fly by manipulating a sword.
The pinnacle of sword techniques, once displayed by an ally, was now showcased by an enemy.
[It’s a Sword Flight Technique!]
[Cast protective magic…!]
Sword King’s strength was well known to the Korean team.
Sword Flight was not just about flying; it was the epitome of breaking through enemy defenses.
In a flurry, the team attempted to cast protective spells.
However,
[Still too slow.]
The Sword King had become a massive meteor, plummeting down.
The speed difference was stark.
Boom!
The protective barrier conjured by the Korean Supports was torn apart.
Inside, the Sword King landed.
Right in front of the most vital players, the Supports.
Step! Step!
The Sword King walked slowly.
[Block him! Form a scrum!]
Warriors formed a line to protect the Supports.
Whoosh!
[Argh…!]
With one swing of his twin swords, they were all blown away.
The difference in strength was evident. Sword King was unstoppable.
Throughout his advance to the core of the Korean Team, he didn’t have a single injury except for the self-inflicted ones.
At this rate, they would be defeated overwhelmingly.
The Korea-Japan match on August 15th…
It would be cruelly trampled upon by someone who was once Korean.
“Crazy! What’s with this Sword King guy?!”
“Why… Why has he become stronger?!”
“This isn’t even a game anymore…”
Loud exclamations echoed even inside the soundproofed private room from the restaurant’s patrons.
Everyone expected a loss, but not a humiliating game like this.
Despair descended upon South Korea.
[Ah…! The national team players must fight! Even if the Sword King is in front of them, the Supports cannot be left to die in vain!]
[But… we can’t stop him. He has… become stronger.]
[Uh…! If we’re completely defeated in the first game, we’ll be caught off guard in the next game! If we’re dominated by one person like this, we won’t stand a chance in not just the invade map, but any other map!]
The commentators on TV shouted in frustration, but before long, the Sword King had approached where the Supports were.
The game was essentially over by then.
And the first target of the Sword King, Support Lee Jin-Wook, desperately struggled like a bug being crushed.
[D-Divine Punishment!]
A hammer of light formed in the air and dropped towards the Sword King.
The Support’s attack spell, Divine Punishment. It was a powerful skill for a Support, but to someone like the Sword King, it merely tickled.
People resigned themselves.
Obviously, that attack would be blocked, and he would be killed instantly.
However, the outcome was completely unexpected.
[Eh… Huh?!]
[The Sword King… allowed the attack?]
Commentators voiced their surprise.
The reason was that the hammer of light had struck the Sword King’s head.
Bang!
A loud noise resonated from the unarmed head of the Sword King, and from there, a trickle of blood flowed.
In this game, it was the first significant damage the Korean national team inflicted on the Sword King.
And the Sword King wiped the blood trickling down his forehead with his hand.
Then, he smiled.
[Well done.]
Thud!
The Sword King drew his twin swords and stabbed himself in the chest.
[What in the…?!]
[What on earth is happening?!]
“What… What’s happening?!”
“Why is he suddenly committing suicide?!”
The murmurs were loud, and not just from the commentators, but also from the people in the restaurant.
However,
Amidst the chaos, Mashid seemed deaf to those noises.
“No way… how…”
His gaze shifted from the TV screen to Seong Jihan’s smartphone.
Specifically, at the bet Seong Jihan had placed on Korea winning the 1st game and Lee Jin-Wook being the MVP.
‘Although the Sword King committed suicide…’
The kill would be credited to Lee Jin-Wook.
Since the only damage dealt to the Sword King from the Korean team was the Support’s feeble attack.
Thus, it was obvious even without watching the entire game that the system would credit Lee Jin-Wook for defeating Japan’s strongest warrior, making him the MVP.
“How did you know… about the MVP?”
To the obvious question, Seong Jihan nonchalantly replied,
“I saw it in a dream.”
“That’s… impossible.”
“My dreams are special.”
It sounded absurd.
Betting such a large amount on such an improbable outcome just because he saw it in a dream?
‘Does he have some special gift?’
Seong Jihan, who had yet to reveal his status, made him wonder if he possessed a special ability.
Given that he spoke of a dream, what could be done?
There was no other way to find out.
“And in that special ‘dream’… You appear too.”
“I-I appear in it?”
“Yes. As the world’s best Mage.”
Mashid’s eyes trembled.
Seong Jihan, who accurately predicted the seemingly impossible situation, was now confidently stating that Mashid would become the world’s best Mage.
“Even if you hadn’t made a contract with me, you would have eventually found a way to become a Mage.”
“……”
“But if you make a contract with me, you can walk that path much faster, can’t you?”
“……Yes, you’re right.”
Mashid nodded his head.
Once he found the way forward, he would have gathered money by any means and bought the Arachne Orb.
However, it would have taken an incredibly long time.
But if he gets help from Seong Jihan, he could skip a tremendous amount of that hellish time.
‘…And then,’
Adding Seong Jihan’s astonishing predictive ability on top of that?
Mashid could firmly make up his mind.
“Seong Jihan, I will make a contract with you.”
“An excellent choice.”
Diego Mashid, who had the potential to become the world’s greatest Mage, now had the opportunity to awaken his abilities faster by joining hands with Seong Jihan.
‘The best outcome.’
Seong Jihan wore a satisfied smile.
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