Chapter 40 of 100
Chapter 40
7 min read1,765 words
<Chapter 40: The Reverted Warrior God at Level 2>
“...What kind of contract?”
“If I reach Silver, I plan to create a guild... If you stay as a guild member for a year, that’s all I ask.”
“You’re planning to create a guild?”
Mashid’s eyes widened.
While it was possible to create a guild once one obtained the qualifications of a Silver Rigger, it was rare for a Silver Rigger to actually do so.
It had been ten years since BattleNet had become established; who would create a guild at Silver nowadays?
If it weren’t for what Seong Jihan was saying, he would have thought it was some ridiculous scam.
‘But... he must have some plan in mind.’
Recalling the astonishing feats Seong Jihan had shown so far, there must be some grand scheme.
Mashid speculated as much, without considering that Seong Jihan might just be creating the guild for achievement points.
“...Really, just a year?”
“Yeah. I’ll even pay a salary. If you want to stay longer, that’s fine too.”
It was an incredibly good offer.
Given Mashid’s current situation, he would have had to accept even a five or ten-year slave contract.
Seong Jihan had only set the condition for one year.
“Why... why are you being so nice to me?”
With a trembling voice, Mashid asked, and Seong Jihan replied with a confident expression.
“Because I know you’ll become the best mage.”
“...”
“I don’t tie down the best players with long-term contracts.”
The guild creation was merely to achieve the Guild Master achievement.
Seong Jihan had no intention of seriously running it.
‘And it’s better to be a benefactor to Mashid.’
Leaving a debt of gratitude with the person who would become the world’s best mage.
That was ultimately what Seong Jihan wanted.
“I can’t... understand. Your confidence. How can you see me becoming the best mage with this useless Gift...”
“Mashid, can you come up with 500 million won?”
“...No.”
“Right? Then just use me. You won’t lose anything, after all.”
“That’s true, but... you don’t have money either, right? I heard you commute by Looning.”
Seong Jihan chuckled.
The power of the media.
How long had it been since he started commuting to the Academy by Looning, and yet even the busy Mashid 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 that the Korea-Japan match is happening today?”
“I do. I already bet my salary.”
“...You did?”
“Yeah. Though I feel bad for Korea, I bet on Japan 3-0. I have to make at least 10%.”
The odds for a 3-0 Japan victory were 1.1.
It was clear how many people were confident in Japan’s victory.
“You don’t have to feel bad. It’s a rational decision. But... the world is actually irrational.”
Seong Jihan smiled and showed his betting history.
Mashid was shocked.
“You’re crazy?! Such a crazy bet...!”
“Haha. Does it look crazy?”
Beep!
Seong Jihan turned on the TV in the private room.
On the screen, BattleNet players preparing for the first match were caught on camera.
“Now, I’ll show you how money multiplies.”
* * *
The odds for a 3-0 Japan victory were 1.1.
The public’s judgment was reasonable.
The Sword King, a key player for the Korean team, had moved to Japan.
It wasn’t that half of the team’s strength had disappeared; it had been added to the enemy.
The 1v1 strength ratio had become 0.5 to 1.5.
With the Sword King participating in all matches, a complete defeat was inevitable.
But.
“It’s... impossible...”
The world is sometimes irrational.
Korea-Japan Match, First Game.
The Sword King, Ito Ryuhai, who led the Japanese team.
Suddenly, he started arguing with his Japanese teammates.
[If you don’t listen to me, I won’t play.]
Then, he suddenly took off all his armor and started slashing his body with dual swords.
Soon, his T-shirt was torn to shreds, and bloodlines appeared on his solid upper body.
“No. Why... why is he doing this?”
“I don’t know.”
[Ito!]
[What are you doing!]
The Japanese players were shocked and tried to stop the Sword King.
[You’re interfering.]
The Sword King, speaking fluent Japanese, pushed away the Japanese team and charged alone towards the Korean team.
[Stop... stop him!]
[Whatever it is, it’s an opportunity!]
The Korean team, seeing the Sword King’s sudden madness, didn’t miss the chance and concentrated their firepower on him.
But even without armor, he had dual swords in his hands.
[You’re weak.]
The dual swords, moving like flowing water.
[Grgh...!]
He effortlessly nullified the attacks from the Korean team’s damage dealers.
The ultimate dual sword technique, an SSS-grade Gift.
Based on this, his sword movements were overwhelming the Korean team alone.
With or without armor, he was the world’s best warrior.
‘As expected, he’s strong.’
The members of the national team were all superhumans who had reached at least the Diamond League.
Their matches were shown in slow motion for the general public to see.
While mages and supporters, who lacked physical abilities, moved slowly in the camera, the Sword King was flying at an incredible speed.
‘At this level... even the Unnamed Art would find it difficult.’
In his previous life, Seong Jihan had never faced the Sword King.
The greatest warrior of the BattleNet era, the Sword King Ito Ryuhai.
He had suddenly disappeared in the later stages of the BattleNet era, when more than half of the world’s countries had vanished.
Thus, the strongest warrior of the later stages, Seong Jihan, had never crossed swords with the Sword King.
But Seong Jihan’s expression showed no sense of crisis.
‘I’m completely different now.’
While acknowledging that the Sword King’s strength was stronger than expected, Seong Jihan had no doubt that he would lose.
[Flight of the Sword 御劍飛行.]
A blue sword descended onto the Sword King’s feet.
It became a platform, propelling him through the sky.
The ultimate sword technique, allowing a swordsman to fly.
The pinnacle of swordsmanship, now being displayed by the enemy.
[It’s... the Flight of the Sword!]
[Cast protection magic...!]
The Korean team, who knew the Sword King’s power best, were in a panic.
The Flight of the Sword was not just flying; it was a charge that shattered the enemy’s defensive formation.
The team frantically tried to cast protection magic.
However.
[Still too late.]
The Sword King had already become a massive meteor, plummeting down.
The speed difference was stark.
BOOM!
The protection barrier created by the Korean supporters was torn apart like paper.
The Sword King landed inside.
Right in front of the supporters, the most crucial players the team needed to protect.
Thud. Thud.
The Sword King slowly walked forward.
[Stop him! Form a scrum!]
Warriors approached to protect the supporters, but.
Swish!
[Grgh...!]
With a single movement of his dual swords, they were all knocked back.
A different dimension of power.
The Sword King was a monster.
During his advance into the core of the Korean team, he had not received a single wound except for the self-inflicted ones.
This way, it would be a crushing defeat.
The Korea-Japan match on August 15, Liberation Day...
was being trampled by the hands of a Korean.
- Damn! What’s wrong with the Sword King!
- Why, why is he so much stronger!
- This isn’t a game...
The noise from the people in the meat shop, who were watching the match, could be heard even in the soundproof private room.
They knew the Korean team would lose, but they didn’t expect such a humiliating defeat.
Despair settled over the Republic of Korea.
[Oh...! Team members, you must hold on! Even if the Sword King is right in front of you, you can’t let the supporters die so meaninglessly!]
[But... we can’t stop him. He’s... even stronger.]
[Oh...! If we lose the first game, we’ll be helpless in the next game too! If we’re dominated by one person, we can’t win on any map, not just the invasion map!]
The commentators shouted with regret, but the Sword King had already reached the supporters.
The game was already over.
The first target of the Sword King, supporter Lee Jin-wook.
Like a bug being stepped on, he made a meaningless struggle.
[Divine Punishment!]
A hammer of light formed in the air and fell on the Sword King.
The supporter’s attack magic, Divine Punishment.
It was a powerful skill for a supporter, but to the Sword King, it was like a cotton swab.
People resigned themselves.
Of course, the attack would be blocked, and he would be killed in one strike.
But the result was completely different from what was expected.
[Wh... what?!]
[The Sword King... allowed the attack?]
The commentators’ puzzled voices echoed.
Indeed, the hammer of light had struck the Sword King’s head.
BOOM!
A loud noise echoed from the Sword King’s head, which had no equipment.
A little blood trickled down.
This was the first meaningful damage the Korean team had inflicted on the Sword King in this game.
The Sword King wiped the blood from his head with his hand.
And he smiled.
[Well done.]
Thud!
The Sword King pulled out his dual swords and stabbed his own chest.
[No, what...!]
[What’s happening!!!!]
“What... what is this!”
“Why is he suddenly committing suicide?!”
Rustle, rustle!
The commentators and the people in the meat shop were in shock.
But.
Amidst the chaos, Mashid alone didn’t hear any of the noise.
His eyes were fixed on Seong Jihan’s phone.
Specifically, on the result of the first game: Korea wins, MVP Lee Jin-wook.
‘Even though the Sword King committed suicide...’
The kill would be credited to Lee Jin-wook.
The only damage the Korean team had inflicted on the Sword King was the supporter’s weak attack.
So, the system would recognize that Lee Jin-wook had eliminated Japan’s strongest warrior, making it obvious that he would receive the MVP.
“How did you know the MVP...?”
Seong Jihan answered as if it was nothing.
“I saw it in a dream.”
“M... that’s impossible.”
“My dreams are special.”
It was an unbelievable statement.
To bet such a large amount on an impossible situation because it appeared in a dream?
‘Does he have some special Gift?’
Seong Jihan, who had never revealed his status window.
It was questionable whether he had any special abilities.
But if he said it was a dream, what could be done?
There was no way to verify it.
“And in that special ‘dream’... you also appeared.”
“I... I appeared?”
“Yeah. As the world